Breaking in your world
by PurpleHand
Summary: Gaara and Sakura met when they were 7, after Sakura got hurt in an accident Gaara blamed hiself and left, what will happen when they meet again in a battle that changes everything
1. Not affraid

**Gaara and Sakura are 7 years old**

Sakura 's mom held her hand as they walked down the road towards the park, Sakura skipped pulling her mom along.

"I cant wait until we take Ino here" Sakura chirped

"Sakura dear you know Ino and her parents wont be back for another 2 weeks" Sakura's mom sighed

"a whole 2 weeks! But mom I thought it was just 1 week, I cant wait that long" Sakura complained,

"I'm afraid your just going to have to be a patient little bunny" Sakura's mom smiled,

"I want to be a vampire not a bunny" Sakura scowled and her mom laughed

_Its going to be lonely without Ino, who will I play with_

**We don't need anyone to play with we can make our own fun!**

They reached the park gates and a kind man held the gate open for them, the sun started to burn hotter and Sakura took of her coat and handed it to her mom, underneath she had on a Black sweater and a pink skirt. Suddenly her mom, who was a powerful Kunoichi looked down at her watch and jumped,

"damn I was supposed to meet Hokage like 5 minutes ago!" Sakura's mom was about to run when she turned and knelt so she was Sakura's height

"honey will you be ok here?" her mom asked wearily, Sakura nodded

"ok good, now stay inside the gates and I'll pick you up in an hour" she smiled before taking off into the trees. Sakura sighed then made her way over to the grass next to the swings and started making daisy chains, Sakura jumped when a white ball rolled past her and a girl with brown hair in an ino-like ponytail skipped over to her.

"hey my names Sarabi Uchiha, come and play football" the girl grinned before running back to the game followed my a nodding Sakura. Little did Sakura know that her new found friend would be later killed by Itachi, destroyer of the Uchiha clan **(A/N that's a story for another time xD).**

Sakura sheepishly walked over the group of children

"hey everyone we have a new player" Sarabi smiled the rest of the young children happily welcomed Sakura into the game. Sakura had always been quite the fanatic at football, surprising really for a girl so fragile and pretty. The ball was passed to Sakura several times and each time she travelled it up the grass scoring

"wow she's amazing!" shouted a blonde boy

"hmf for a girl" the small black haired boy grumbled (**A/N Naruto and Sasuke xD but not actually them)**

Sakura glared at the cocky emo, she hated brats who thought they were something special. Ignoring his comment she continued playing, After hearing how great Sakura was the black haired boy made the game his own personal competition between the two. Sakura tackled the ball of him and in anger he booted the ball off the grass. Everyone ran to retrieve the ball but stopped suddenly frozen, Sakura stopped a little further on than them and turned

"what's wrong guys?" Sakura asked, she followed there eyes to where they were staring.

The ball was wrapped in sand and moving along the floor towards them, suddenly the sand built up as a small boy holding the ball. At first Sakura was scared but then noticed he was holding the ball out for them in a friendly nervous manor .

"here..I-I got your b-ball back" the crimson haired boy held the ball our in front of him looking nervous, Sakura smiled and was about to step forward when she heard Sarabi scream

"its that boy quick get out of here!" she shouted before tugging at her sisters hand and running

"leave this village!" shouted the blonde before running

"its that freak!" the ebony boy spat and followed the rest. Sakura watched as the crimson haired boy hung his head and tears streamed down his cheeks, she didn't know why they hated him so much he looked nice. Sakura silently walked over to the boy and placed her hands on the ball he was holding, the boy gasped in shock and flung his head up locking eyes with Sakura.

"w-why aren't you running?" the boy asked wiping away the tears

"because there's nothing to run from" Sakura smiled, " come on lets sit on the round-a-bout". Gaara looked at Sakura in complete aw but followed her towards the spinning round-a-bout

"darn it isn't stopping" Sakura complained, Gaara slowly walked to her side and smoothly sand flew out around him gripping the round-a-bout and holding it still and gently lifting Sakura onto it, Sakura gasped and wasn't afraid but shocked. Gaara thought Sakura must have been afraid and sat down on the round-a-bout sadly.

_This boy is truly amazing, _Sakura thought then she noticed Gaara's sad expression and frowned looking into Gaara's eyes even thought he wasn't looking back.

"You have such sad eyes…" Sakura frowned and shuffled closer to Gaara " maybe all you need.." she wrapped her arms around his neck "is for someone to not be afraid" Sakura hugged him tight. Gaara looked up in shock, he had never felt anything like this, no one had ever been close enough to be actually touching him before…but this…this beautiful girl was holding him in her arms. Gaara felt warm inside his heart not really knowing what it was and gently hovered his arms around her carefully not to crush this delicate beauty. A tear ran down his cheek and he squeezed his eyes shut, Sakura slowly pulled away and Gaara sighed at the loss of warmth, Sakura noticed the sand that had sealed them in a ball slowly sink down. Sakura reached out and touched the sand, Gaara gasped again, controlling it so it came closer and tickled her, Sakura giggled. Gaara watched in amusement and smiled for the first time in ages.

"my names Sakura Haruno what's yours?" Sakura grinned,

Gaara leaned forward and sniffed her hair softly, he didn't know it then but it was Shikaku and his animal instincts

" just like your hair" Gaara smiled " oh and mine is Gaara", Sakura giggled

"that's a funny name…but I like it" she smiled "Gaara-san".

Sakura realized it had been almost an hour since her mom had left her and she would be picking her up soon"I have to go soon" Sakura sighed "but lets meet tomorrow", Gaara felt sad she had to go "ok, but where?"

"well how about the grass opposite the hospital, me and Ino go there all the time there's lots of fun hideouts" Sakura grinned, Gaara smiled and nodded. Sakura could see her mom walking towards the gate and got up,

"I'll see you tomorrow Gaara-san" Sakura smiled before turning but turned back again and bent down quickly kissing Gaara on the cheek and ran off towards her mom. Gaara flushed red as he watched the pinkette walk off hand in hand with her mother. Gaara stood up and walked across the park to the exit, as he walked down the street he saw mothers pull their children in doors or away from the window, but that pain wasn't that bad now, not now he had finally found someone was nice, not because she was scared but because she really did care. Yashamaru was sat by the step focusing his chakra, Gaara ran over to him

"I met a girl today she's really pretty" Gaara smiled, Yashamaru looked worried

"girls can be hurtful Gaara she might be like the rest" Yashamaru sighed

"she isn't she didn't run away, I'm meeting her outside the hospital tomorrow" just as Gaara spoke Kankuro and Temari came out and Kankuro ruffled Gaara's hair.

"little brother fancies someone!" Kankuro laughed, Gaara gave him a childish _I do not look, _A 8 year old Temari pushed Kankuro

"don't be annoying Kankuro" she shouted "what's her name little brother?, I want to make some new friends around here".

"Her name is Sakura Haruno" Gaara smiled, Temari made an excited sort of gesture and ran off, probably to play with her dolls.

Gaara ignored a now roaring Kankuro and stalked up to his room wishing maybe one day Yashamaru would let him strangle Kankuro. Gaara sat down on the bed and glanced at his clock

_Ok only 15 more hours until I can see Sakura again._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Sakura watched the sun rise as she dragged herself out of bed, she sat up and heard a grumbling noise

_Must be time for my breakfast then_

Sakura slinked off into the bathroom brushing her teeth and washing. When she came back in she threw her towel on the bed and pulled on her usual black sweater, pink skirt and black ninja shoes. Sakura sat down at the table and her mom placed a bowl of cereal in front of her and poured her some orange juice and she devoured it.

" I'm going to need lots of energy today mamma, Gaara and I are going exploring" Sakura chimed

"oh is that so, well I hope you be careful" her mom smiled handing her the freshly squeezed juice.

"I will Gaara will look after me" Sakura grinned as she gulped down her orange juice. Sakura's eyes drifted towards the clock and she gasped as she read the time.

**Sakura its 10.15 your going to be late you dummy!**

Sakura quickly kissed her mom goodbye and ran out the door towards the hospital, as she approached the white building she saw a figure with red hair sat on the grass and she smiled running over.

"Good morning Gaara!" Sakura grinned sitting next to him, Gaara was happy to see her but looked confused

_Good morning?_

He had never had that phrase spoke to him before, he didn't ask about it but guessed it was something friendly and returned it.

"did you sleep well?" Gaara asked nervously,

"yes I dreamed I was running through flowers all night" Sakura giggled "what did you

Gaara went the same colour as his hair and looked down,

"I dreamt…about seeing you again" Gaara mumbled, Sakura flushed bright red and nearly cried with happiness, no one was ever this sweet to her. Sakura hugged Gaara softly and he smiled,

"c'mon lets explore behind the hospital, I want to go on an adventure" Sakura laughed

"I know a good place to go on an adventure…but you might not want to"

"don't be silly of coarse I will, mamma said that you never know how you feel about something unless you try it" Sakura smiled."ok…follow me Sakura" Gaara stood up along with Sakura and headed east, Sakura looked at him funny but followed.

Gaara stopped by a forest that stretched across the land, Sakura gasped

"whoa.." she whispered then she laughed and ran into the forest followed by Gaara

"this is awesome" Sakura beamed, Gaara followed and watched amused as Sakura ran deeper into the forest exploring the trees. They played tag and ran through the forest playfully. They came to some rocky ground and Sakura stopped, "what's wrong Sakura?" Gaara asked worriedly

"mamma said rocks are dangerous because you can slip and fall on them" Sakura looked down sheepishly. Gaara looked at her

"Its safe" he tilted his head, Sakura looked unsure

"I will protect you, no harm will come to you I promise" Gaara smiled, Sakura looked up at him brightly

"thank you Gaara" Sakura said stroking the sand that now flowed around them. They walked across the rocks carefully and Gaara created a path of sand for Sakura to walk on.

The wind blew stronger as they approached a fast flowing river, Sakura shivered and Gaara wrapped his sand around her gently controlling it so it didn't crush her.

"wow these rocks are cool" Gaara smiled examining them, Sakura reached into her pockets as the air started to get colder, she felt something In her pocket and pulled it out realising it was the poem Sakura wrote for Gaara last night. Sakura looked down sheepishly, she was about to walk over to Gaara with it when the wind blew it out of her hands, Sakura grumbled and walked after it but it blew faster across the rocks."hey come back here!" she shouted, running for it but slipped, Gaara turned his head to see Sakura's foot slip across the rock and she fell into the river. Sakura screamed at the coldness of the water and desperately tried to slap at the water

"I cant swim!" she shouted, Gaara gasped and the current took her down the river until she violently crashed against a rock, Gaara ran after her on the bank

"Sakura!" he cried, Sakura grabbed onto the rock

"HELP!" she screamed clinging to the slippery rock, Gaara's heart was struck with fear and pain and sand shot out in front of him towards Sakura trying to reach her to grab her but just as the sand came close a wave of water crashed around her melting Gaara's sand and aggressively dragging Sakura down the river which was now getting wider and faster.

"No!!" Gaara shouted, he ran and was about to dive into the water, when something like a shield hit him, Gaara tried to break through it but there was no use, Sakura thrashed around in the water

_The currents too strong and I cant do any Jutsus yet. _Sakura could feel the water change, she looked round and there was no more water, just a huge drop. Sakura screamed as she saw her last glimpse of Gaara before everything went dark.

"Sakura!!" Gaara screamed as he watched her disappear down the waterfall, he thrashed against the shield and eventually his sand broke through it, Gaara was shaking as though he had just had his death played out before him. Without thinking he dived off the bank next to the waterfall, knowing it would cause him injury even if he did land on his feet, the only thing that mattered to him now though was Sakura and he was going to save her.

Of coarse as he reached the rocky ground a the foot of the waterfall his sand formed like a blanket under him and caused him no harm, Gaara gritted his teeth and desperately searched for her in the slow flowing water at the bottom of the waterfall.

"Sakura!" Gaara shouted "Sakura where are you!?", There was no sign of her in the water, Gaara slumped to his knees and twisted his fingers in his hair and pulled it as he tried to hold onto what little sanity he had left.

_I will not turn! I will not turn!!_

Gaara gasped when he heard something ahead, in hope he ran forward and brushed

away the bushes until he came to the edge on the river…

Sakura was led on the bank unconscious and soaking wet as blood poured out around her limp body.

"Sakura…" Gaara whispered "no…", Gaara screamed and was at her side trying to wake her, he shook her and heard her whimper in her unconscious state. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he held her, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself…he had gotten her hurt, he had promised her he's keep her safe and he didn't.

_The one person who has ever cared for me…and I put her in danger, she's hurt because of me._

Suddenly a pair of arms pulled Gaara off her and a women ran towards Sakura crying and scooped her up into her arms, Gaara realized the women was her mother.

"why didn't you get help!" her mother shouted "cant you see she's dying!", the man put Gaara down and ran over to Sakura's side performing some sort of healing Jutsu. Gaara stepped back and stumbled as he watched Sakura's parents panicking and desperately trying to heal her.

_I know she'll live…but it isn't good enough…she is hurt because of me… I shouldn't be with her._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Sakura woke with her head against something uncomfortable and a strange burning in her back, Sakura opened her eyes slowly and felt a twang of pain where the burning was. She realized she was in her room on the bed and also noticed that her body was painful and she couldn't move much,

"Sakura? Honey its me your mom" Sakura's mom soothed "you had an accident, you were playing by the waterfall and fell, you hit your head and back but you'll be ok".

Suddenly it all came back to her and she remembered flashbacks of screaming as she got dragged down the river and calling for…

"Gaara!" Sakura shouted "where is he?", Sakura's mom paused then handed her a piece of paper and looked down sadly.

Sakura looked confused but took the piece of paper and unfolded it pulling it closer to her eyes.

_To my Sakura_

_I am sorry for what I have put you through I promised to protect you and I broke my promise, I enjoyed every second with you, you're the only person I have ever felt this way about. But I got you hurt and I will not allow it to happen again and if that means me leaving then I will, I'll do anything to keep you safe._

_Yours always_

_Gaara _

Sakura stared at Gaara's slightly less than neat handwriting and suddenly something

died inside of her. She burst into tears and her mother hugged her

"Gaara!" she whispered to herself "don't leave me…don't leave me".

**6 weeks later**

The kunais flew at Gaara with great speed, clearly not fast enough as his sand shield immediately blocked the weapons of the masked attacker, Gaara stared at the nin in anger and did a hand sign that struck fear into his opponents heart, the nin felt the most worst pain inside him before he flew back and crashed against the wall. Gaara walked over to the defeated nin and crouched next to him, he knew he was close to death. The nin's mask fell off and exposed Yashamaru, Gaara gasped and started crying

"Yashamaru why?" Gaara pleaded

"I was ordered to kill you, I tried to make myself love you because you were her son but I couldn't not when your such a demon, she never loved you she was full of hate and she wanted her hate for the village to carry on, so it carried on inside of you"

Yashamaru shuddered, Gaara stared in shock.

"The day you met up with that girl, Sakura, I couldn't let you be near her you tried to save her and felt something blocking you, it was me, I couldn't let you get close to her, your alone and you always will be alone Gaara" Yashamaru sighed before death took him. Gaara screamed in pain and clutched his heart, it wasn't real Yashamaru was a lie, there was no reason for Gaara to live.

Gaara ran off and fell onto the floor and curled up sobbing and telling himself he was nothing, that's when it came to him, the anger he felt, the need to kill. That was his purpose and that was how it would be from now on.


	2. Confusing Attraction

_I cracked my knuckles as my inner Sakura went mad and send that Konohamaru kid crashing through the fence next to Naruto. _

_**Ha serves him right for mistaking me **_**as Naruto's girlfriend cha!**

_You said it!_

I walked off back down the path clenching my fists in rage and left Udon and Moegi to pick up the pieces, I kept my back turned as I walked but I could almost hear Konohamaru and Naruto get up and rub there heads. Then I heard something which pushed me so far over the edge I couldn't even see the edge

"I don't even think she's human, did you see how wide her forehead is?" I knew straight away it was Konohamaru. My roots started to turn black and spread down my hair turning my whole hair a dark ebony colour as I let my inner Sakura be unleashed, I turned my head round furiously and stopped. I could tell they were terrified and I started running towards them working up some chakra to give them all a good punch.

At that moment Konohamaru flinched to run but smacked into someone's leg, everyone stopped in front of the two older strangers that stood before us with their hands on their hips. One was a tall teenage boy with purple face paint and something so beyond abnormal on his back it was scary, the other was a girl with 4 blonde ponytails and a giant closed fan on her back. I wondered who these strangers were by trying to get a good look at their outfits.

Naruto gasped

"do you need something?" the tall painted one asked at Konohamaru with an expression of disgust before picking him up by his scarf so Konohamaru was hanging face to face with him.

"well…does this hurt punk?" he yanked Konohamaru's scarf and he made a choking noise

"put him down Kankuro or you know you will pay for it later" the girl warned with a rather worried look on her face. She didn't look that bad defiantly not like Kankuro who I assume was the tall one, she had something soft hidden in her eyes.

I gulped before stepping forward

"hey I'm sorry it was my fault" I said nervously playing with my red dress, the dark boy's gaze moved onto me and I saw a devilish smile spread across his face

"hello sexy fancy giving me a _proper_ welcome to your village?" he purred

_Did he just!!?? Oh no he wasn't saying that…_

I held back my angry roar and retorted to a calm "that wont be necessary", it didn't seem like Kankuro heard he was too busy running his eyes over what I thought was my red Haruno dress but clearly was something underneath it.

**Serves your own right for wearing a tight dress with black Minnie shorts**

_Oh shut up_

I angrily slammed my fist into the ground and it cracked all the way back to the fence and dirt flew up into Kankuro's eyes and he dropped Konohamaru hard on the floor wiping his eyes.

"I said that wont be necessary!" I seethed

Naruto roared at his comment and ran at Kankuro like an idiot, I gasped in shock as I saw Kankuro move his fingers and something tripped Naruto and sent him flying backwards skidding against the ground. The girl who was looking away in shame spoke "I'm sorry about my brother, you know how guys and hormones are", I smiled at the girl and told her I know exactly how they are indicating that I meant Naruto.

"what was that!?" Naruto shouted realizing he had just been thrown across the floor by a guy who wiggled his fingers.

**They are outsiders from somewhere**

_But what are they doing here…._

"get out of our village!" Konohamaru shouted

Kankuro smirked then picked Konohamaru back up to face him

"I don't like brats, especially not weak ones who I can break in half…like you" Konohamaru hissed before raising his fist.

This was not goin to end well especially not with that pervy cat guy

Suddenly a rock out of no where smacked into Kankuro's hand making him drop Konohamaru and wince in pain. Kankuro growled and turned around to the tree where the rock came from, there sitting in the branch was Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" I cried, this guy is so awesome I don't think anyone could hit Kankuro.

"get lost" Sasuke shouted at Kankuro as he crushed a rock in his palm

**don't you wish you were that rock so he could have his grip on you XD**

_Enough, other half._

"Come down brat!" Kankuro shouted "I'm going to break you..", he pulled a bandage from the thing on his back and it suddenly was by his side I gasped and stepped back reaching for a kunai.

"no your not going to bring out Karasu already!?" Temari shouted.

"Kankuro…back off" a husky voice from no where spoke, everyone gasped and turned to see a boy about our age with excellent chakra control hanging from a branch. The boy had messy crimson hair and eyes such a beautiful colour it was mesmerizing, however this boy had something about him, something strange. I only had to see how Kankuro and the girl gasped, stuttered and tried to tell him they were sorry that he was something you really wouldn't want to mess with.

"you're an embarrassment to our village" the boy hissed, so they are from a village and judging my their headbands they are sand genin. It was shocking how the boy could stay in the trees without any of us knowing and his chakra control was stronger than that of a jounine's level!.

However he had that look in his eyes, the kind that's so sad it makes you want to kill yourself so you don't have to see it, there's defiantly something abnormal about this boy.

**Abnormally cute!**

_What? Now is not the time Sakura_

Then the boy turned his head and looked directly at me then at Naruto

"I'm sorry for any trouble he caused" he apologized in a voice that was so sinister the meaning of what he was saying sounded nothing more than a bitter lie.

His body dissolved into sand and he reappeared on the floor in front of the girl and Kankuro

"lets go we didn't come here to play games!" he ordered, walking past them, they followed and for some idiotic reason I ran out to stop them.

"wait!" I shouted, all three of them turned round and Gaara looked me straight in the eye before something changed in his expression, he looked rather shocked as he looked at me "Your from the village hidden in the sand right, where's your permission to be in our village?" I asked,

"we are here for the chunin exams" Temari answered simply

_Chunin exams? I'm sure I have heard that somewhere before_

_Right._

Sasuke ran to my side

"you! The one with the sand gourd on your back, identify yourself", the crimson haired boy turned round, I was interested to find out who this boy was but missed it as Naruto had to run and get tripped over my Kankuro again. I listened as Sasuke gave his name.

Even though Sasuke identified himself as an Uchiha the red haired boy's expression did not change until Naruto spoke up

"I bet you'd like to know my name" Naruto grinned, the sand nin moved his gaze onto Naruto

"I couldn't care less" he answered before turning and walking away followed by his siblings.

Sand siblings, chunin exams, outsiders I really needed to go to Kakashi and find out what the hell is going on especially with those sand ninja..

**Gaara's POV**

"Lets go, we didn't come here to play games!" I ordered walking past Temari and Kankuro without giving them so much as a glance. I was about to crouch and pounce into the tree when I heard someone run out behind us and stop

"wait!" a girl's voice screeched, I turned round and looked the pink haired Kunoichi directly in the eye then something registered in my mind. I looked confused and without thinking my eyes examined the girl in front of me. She was something amazing, she had a delicate shape and stunning features. Not in all my 14 years and Shikaku's had we ever seen a creature more beautiful. I stopped my thoughts

_Why am I thinking this she's just a girl_

**Maybe she isn't **_**just **_**a girl**

_What?_

**You don't remember..**

_Remember what?_

**Never mind just remember your made to kill we share a blood lust too strong for any other feelings**

_I know but I don't understand why your telling me this._

I was pulled from my confusing conversation with Shikaku when she started speaking in such a voice it made a strange burning feeling arouse in the pit of my stomach.

"Your from the village hidden in the sand right, where's your permission to be in our village?" the girl asked,

_Well she certainly has brains_

"we are here for the chunin exams" Temari lied simply

---------FLASHBACK----------

_I leant up against the wall as Baki explained the plan again_

"_remember your training you have to complete the first 2 exams or the whole plan is ruined, lord Orochimaru will take the Hokage it will be easy if everything works out as planned" Baki explained_

"_do you really think we will have trouble getting through the exams facing a bunch of brats" Kankuro smirked cockily_

"_no but I hear that Uchiha kid is competing this year" Baki mumbled_

"_Uchiha?" Temari asked confused "but I thought Itachi wiped out the __**whole**__ clan","you heard wrong" Baki growled "no enough about that we need to get going". I narrowed my eyes at Baki_

"_don't be so persistent…you know it will only get you…hurt" I seethed, Baki gulped_

"_yes I'm sorry Gaara but you realize we must get going" Baki sighed, I nodded solemnly._

-------FLASHBACK-ENDED-------

I chuckled darkly inside my mind, the Chunin exams mean nothing to me I just want to slaughter all these innocent people.

The boy who had hit Kankuro with the rock ran to the girl's side

"you! The one with the sand gourd on your back" the ebony boy shouted "identify yourself", I moved my eyes onto the boy

"I am Gaara, Gaara of the desert" I answered "who are you?".

"I am Sasuke Uchiha" he stated smugly

**Ah so this is the Uchiha, I'll give Itachi one less job to do and kill off this one**

_He has power though, I can almost smell it. It will make for more of an interesting fight. _

Then a short blonde boy pushed past the Uchiha and smirked at me

"I bet your dying to know who I am!" he grinned, I looked at the hyperactive idiot

"I couldn't care less" I stated blankly before turning and leaping into the trees followed by my siblings.


	3. Animal Instict

----author note-------

**I do not own Naruto and never will **

**Heyy guys I'm sorry I was a little late on posting this my computer crashed and I had to get it all up again but I promise you wont have to wait so song for the next chapter**

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"why! He set the time and now we have to wait hours for him!" I shouted, Kakashi was late again. I know your supposed to be respectful of your Sensai but he is a real jerk for being late.

"Yeah its not fair!" Naruto complained

"what about my feelings I rushed here so fast I didn't even have time to do my hair" I ran my fingers through the flicks in my hair and scowled

"and I didn't have time to brush my teeth and change my underwear!" Naruto cried punching his fist in the air. I stopped and looked at him

"you uh..didn't, that's really disgusting Naruto" I raised an eyebrow

_That boy scares me sometimes._

Suddenly a cloud of smoke was behind us and Kakashi appeared

"hello everyone, sorry I'm late I just got lost on the path of-"

"YOU LIAR!" we shouted.

"I know this is a bit sudden but I recommended you for the Chunin exams" Kakashi informed

_The chunin exams, oh yeah that's what that Temari girl was talking about earlier._

Kakashi handed us the application forms and told us how it was vulentary and told us we had to come to room 301 in the morning.

"well that's it" Kakashi smiled before disappearing.

"Well that was brief " I muttered

"come on guys lets go" Sasuke looked mildly interested.

As we walked I read the application forms

_If we enter these exams, that means were up against all kinds of ninja including those Sand ninja and that does not look good. Oh this is hopeless I can't keep up with Sasuke or Naruto I'll never pass these exams._

Later than day I sat on the roof worrying about the exams

_Sakura you need to pass you need to prove yourself to Sasuke and Naruto…but how and all I'm good at is tie jutsu and Chakra control._

"Sakura" a voice called from below, I looked over the edge and saw Sasuke standing there looking at me smiling

"come on Sakura lets walk" he smiled

"Sasuke!! Ok I'll be right there" I crouched on the edge and let myself fall off the rood landing softly on my feet

_Sasuke wanting to walk with me?_

**Something is up and I don't like whatever it is. But lets walk with Sasuke anyway!**

Sasuke and I walked in silence through the streets until we came to the misty outskirts and Sasuke stopped

"Sakura I want you to give up on the Chunin exams, you will be up against some very powerful ninja and you could get killed" Sasuke sighed

_He's right…but if he's saying this it must mean he cares about me…Sasuke doesn't care about me so why…unless it's an illusion trying to test me._

"but Sasuke that must mean you care about me!" I cried

"I guess that's true" Sasuke smiled

_Bingo!_

"how touching, two sweethearts together" a masked ninja appeared behind Sasuke

"get lost unless you want to die!" Sasuke warned

"HA!" the ninja threw 6 shuriken at us and Sasuke hit all of them away with his kunai.

"Now I'm really mad!" Sasuke growled running at the ninja with his kunai

"carefull Sasuke!" I shouted

_Ch, I'd help him If I thought it was the real Sasuke._

Then the Ninja threw something which exploded into thousands of kunai at Sasuke and they impaled the illusion.

I fake screamed and ran over to the illusion Sasuke and pretended to so over him

"dead and that's how you'll end up if you take the Chunin exams!" hissed the ninja, I sat up

"ha! you idiot I saw through that cheap Gen-Jutsu from the beginning" I laughed

"Sasuke inviting me out! That was a foolish mistake you thought I'd fall for that!?"

"are you calling me a fool?" the nin growled

"I would if you were really here but your just an illusion the real ninja ran away like a coward so your just the illusion of a coward!" I shouted.

"are you sure I'm not real" he hissed and he through an illusion of an umbrella kunai at me, I narrowed my eyebrows and stepped through the illusion.

"yeah I'm sure" I chuckled

"just what I'd expect from a Kunoichi trained by Kakashi but the Chunin exams will be more than just illusions, lets see if you cut it! " the cowards illusion disappeared

"ha I'm not scared, big bad Chunin exams!!" I punched the hair

_Actually I'm really worried about them._

It was the day of the Chunin exams and I ran over to Sasuke and Naruto

"hey sakura your late" Naruto beamed

"Oh yeah sorry hey guys" I waved then looked at Sasuke flashbacks of his illusion and the realization of how he didn't care struck me.

"Good morning Sasuke" I mumbled before walking past them both

"yeah.." Sasuke looked at me confused.

We made our way up the steps and entered the hall, there was a sign saying room 301 but two Genin were guarding the door. Some of the Genin entering the Chunin exams were gathered round trying to get through

One boy in an obscene green jumpsuit got hit across the hall along with a girl with 2 brown buns and a pink top.

"wow that was harsh!" someone in the crowd muttered

"did you say harsh? We're being nice in comparison you'll never survive the Chunin exams if you think that was _harsh._

"real nice speech, now both of you step aside and let us through" I ordered walking over to the two guards

"and while your at it reverse the Gen-Jutsu we can see through your illusion anyway, we're going to the third floor" I conveyed, people around me gasped

"well well you noticed the Gen-Jutsu huh?" one of the guards asked

"tell them Sasuke, I'm sure you saw it before anyone else did" I smiled

"of coarse" Sasuke mumbled.

The Gen-Jutsu on the door reversed back to 201

"well aren't we the smart ones, so you noticed an illusion, now lets see you deal with this!" on of the guards jumped to attack us but Sasuke ran forward and as they were both about to kick that boy in the green jumpsuit ran over in such speed he managed to grab both their ankles and stop them in motion.

_How did he do that? I thought he was some weakling getting knocked about like that but he's as fast as Sasuke._

The boy let go of them both and marched over to me, I gasped

_Why on earth is he coming over to me?._

The boy stopped in front of me

"my name is Rock Lee go out with me Sakura and I will protect you with my life!" Lee smiled and winked at me.

_Eurgh well that was forward.._

"defiantly…not" I muttered

"why!?" Lee shouted disapointed

"because you're a weirdo" I answered turning on my heel and marching off, I felt myself bump into something that felt like rock and I had to catch myself, I looked up to see that red haired boy from the sand staring at me.

_Great Sakura bump into a guy who killed snap you in half if he wanted to and he looked like the type who wanted to._

I blushed

"I…I am so sorry I should have…" I stuttered

"its okay" his almost sexy husky voice sounded like it has strained to say that like he waas holding himself back, I shivered and quickly scurried off towards Naruto and Sasuke.

"hey Naruto, Sasuke, come on lets go" I said quickly grabbing both their wrists and pulling them towards the stairs. We walked up them quietly in our own thoughts

_The big bad Chunin exams it's a freak show._

**Gaara's POV**

"should we kill these Genin and just enter the hall anyway?" Temari whispered

"no remember the plan we need to keep a low profile" Kankuro warned, Kankuro was right but I so badly wanted to tear their throats out for not letting us through and trying to tell us how hard the Chunin exams would be. The exams really didn't matter to me all that mattered was the blood I would get to spill when it was all over.

I watched as the boy in the green jumpsuit got thrown back alongside the girl

**Idiots, if that's the kind of compaition we're up against then this is going to be easier than we thought**

_Even if they were somewhat of a good ninja it would still be easy, I don't want them all to be as weak as these…what's the fun in that._

"Real nice speech now both of you step aside and let us through" a female voice ordered, I looked up to see three Genin had entered they were the same ones we had encountered earlier and that girl was all for mouthing of at the guards

_She has guts after seeing those other rookies get thrown across the floor._

"and while your at it reverse the Gen-Jutsu we can see through your illusion anyway, we're going to the third floor" she conveyed, everyone gasped and I looked up at the 301 sign realizing it was Gen-jutsu

**Smart girl**

_I didn't think she had much power but now I see._

"tell them Sasuke, I'm sure you saw it before anyone else did" The Pinkette glanced over to the mouthy Uchiha

"of coarse" Sasuke mumbled.

The Gen-Jutsu on the door reversed back to 201

"well aren't we the smart ones, so you noticed an illusion, now lets see you deal with this!" on of the guards jumped to attack us but Sasuke ran forward and as they were both about to kick that boy in the green jumpsuit ran over in such speed he managed to grab both their ankles and stop them in motion.

_Him? Well isn't this getting interesting_

The boy let go of both their ankles and moved his eyes onto the pink Kunoichi and marched forward stopping in front of her

"my name is Rock Lee go out with me and I will promise to protect you with my life" the embaressement to male kind winked at the girl.

**Ch humans and their pathetic crushes**

I watched as the girl's expression turned to one of disgust

"defiantly…not" she muttered

_Well that's not surprising_

"why!?" I chuckled as the fool really didn't understand why he's been rejected

"because you're a weirdo" she seethed before turning on her heel and walking off in the direction I was stood

_Mmm such cruelty in her voice_

**I like it I should imagine killing her will be very interesting**

Suddenly I felt something warm bump into me and I looked down to see the pinkette fall a little but stand up and gasp, she looked at me her face almost angry from the question Rock Lee had asked her. Then her cheeks started to flush red

"I…I'm sorry I should have…" she stuttered, I raised an eyebrow and tilted my head

"its okay" I mumbled trying to read her. The girl looked down and scurried back to her comrades

**Such terror when she looked at us it makes me thirsty, she's from the Haruno clan**

_I swear I recognise that name_

**She doesn't even know the kind of power that runs through her bloodline, she will be a very fun kill won't she?**I stared after the girl as she walked off with her team mates down the hall

**Boy?**

_Oh yeah whatever._

I decided to follow her and her team, I was curious about their ability and wanted to find out more.

"I'll meet you in room 301" I muttered to Kankuro before disappearing and following the girl's team.

**Sakura's POV**

We entered the main hall and stopped as a familiar voice called us

"hey you with the attitude!" we turned round to see Rock Lee , we gasped and I shrieked.

"I want to fight! Right here and right now!" Rock Lee demanded to Sasuke "I challenge you Sasuke Uchiha, everyone is always talking about the Uchiha clan and how great they are I want to see if it is true"..

"And also.." Lee looked at me and I stepped back "Sakura I LOVE YOU!",

"no no no! your eyebrows are so bushy and your such a forward weirdo!" I screamed

"you are an angel sent from heaven" Lee beamed sending a love heart Jutsu flying at me.

I screeched and dodged them

_The power of these things is like a love spell I cannot get touched by one!_

I fell to the floor in an attempt to dodge one and sat up

_That was too close!_

I jumped up and raised my fist at Lee

"hey keep your creepy valentines to yourself!" I roared

"you do not have to be so negative Sakura" Lee sighed

"hey I was dodging for my life back there!" I hissed.

"I will teach you the hard way!" Sasuke growled at Lee

"bring it on!" he challenged back.

"NO!" Naruto protested "let me have a shot at him first this guy will be begging for mercy!" Naruto charged at Lee like an idiot only to be thrown into the wall by Lee.

_Woah! He's better than he looks!_

"your skills are inferior Sasuke fight me and I will prove it to you!",

"Sasuke we don't have enough time we have to be in room 301 in less that half an hour" I warned

"relax Sakura this will all be over in 5 seconds" Sasuke chuckled before lunging for Lee.

The petty ninja disappeared then attacked Sasuke from the side blocking his attacks and kicking him backwards.

_He had his guard up…but Lee went right through it!_

Sasuke stood up and a flash of red changed his eyes

_Could it be! _

Sasuke opened his eyes to reveal the Sharingan

_Yes! When did he learn that! Its in both of them you never know what Sasuke will do next he's amazing. he'll be able to nail him!_

Sasuke leapt at Lee but got thrown back into the air

I gasped and covered my mouth, Lee starting attacking Sasuke with tie-jutsu.

"that Sharingan gives you the ability to see through an opponent's attack and read his next move almost before he even thinks it but there's just one problem I'm using tie jutsu that means no trick! You are too slow Sasuke!" Lee shouted.

_What's happening!_

Sasuke was thrown into the air again but Lee disppeared from his spot on the ground, I looked around nervously and saw that Lee had reappeared underneath Sasuke.

"your finished!" Lee cried he was about to do a jutsu with his bandages but something flew through the air and pinned them to the wall.

"alright that's enough Lee" a giant tortoise appeared out of no wear and Lee obeyed it letting himself fall to the ground softly.

I gasped and ran across the hall catching a Sasuke in my arms but falling as well.

"Sasuke are you okay?" I asked helping him up a little, he didn't answer because he was shaking so badly

_He's really shaken up, what did that idiot do to him?._

"that technique is forbidden you know that!" a voice shouted

Then suddenly a man appeared looking exactly like Rock Lee but even weirder

"hey I'm Gai Sensai what's shaking everybody!?" the man grinned and posed.

"and now for your punishment!" Gai roared before punching Lee across the floor

"I'm sorry Lee but its for your own good", Gai started crying and along with Lee

"Rock Lee!" Gai shouted,

"Gai Sensai" Lee ran into Gai's arms and they embraced

"eurghh!!!!" I cried along with Sasuke and Naruto.

Then I felt something rough glide along my foot and wrap around my leg, I tried to move but was held still, it slid up my back like rock and I felt it wrap around my neck like a hand, I was too scared to look down so I just stared straight ahead hoping Sasuke or Naruto would notice.

_I can't scream, if I scream it will choke me_

Then I felt it glide up the inside of my thigh and screeched and looked down,

_What the..?_

There was nothing there and I could move my legs again.

"what is it Sakura?" Naruto asked flicking a bit of his blonde hair out his face

"didn't you see it!?" I asked still looking down at my legs

"see what? There's nothing on your legs" Sasuke raised his eyebrow

"don't look at me like that I'm not some crazy person I just…I swear there was something on me" I gasped " it must have been the wind".

Everyone including Gai Sensai looked at me suspiciously.

"Lee shouldn't have disturbed the exams" Gai Sensai walked over to us "look in to my eyes and realize I'm sorry…also notice my many good look".

I groaned at the idiot in front of me

_Sensai or not this guy is insane._

"Naruto, Sakura lets go" Sasuke demanded pulling us towards the doors.

**Gaara's POV**

I followed them until they stopped in a large hall, and I lurked into the shadows.

_Arghh its that boy in the hideous outfit again._

Rock Lee jumped down onto the floor and I watched as he challenged the Uchiha

"and also" the idiot looked straight at Sakura and blushed "Sakura I LOVE YOU!"

I growled under my breath

_She said no why won't the loser leave it._

"no no no! your eyebrows are so bushy and your such a forward weirdo!" the girl screamed clutching her hair

"you are an angel sent from heaven" Lee beamed as though he hadn't even heard her words, then he sent a love jutsu flying at her. I watched as she dodged the love hearts fast even letting herself fall back and bang her head in order to not get touched.

If I were any of a humerous person I would have laughed at the scene,

The girl jumped up and clenched her fist waving it at Lee

"hey keep your creepy little valentines to yourself!" Sakura hissed

"you do not have to be so negative Sakura" Lee sighed

**No, no I like It so much more when she's vicious**

"hey I was dodging for my life back there!" she screeched,

**She really is disgusted by him isn't she *chuckles***

_Do you blame her he's a typical wannabe._

Something must have happened while I was distracted with my conversation with Shikaku because when I looked back to the scene the blonde one was unconscious and the Uchiha was getting hit across the room by Rock Lee. The Uchiha growled and something flickered in his eyes, I looked closer and I saw a mixture of red and black.

**Oh the dreaded Sharingan… the gods themselves do tremble *chuckles***

_It wont work, the brat is using Tie-Jutsu the Uchiha's Sharingan can't see through his moves._

I watched as the disgrace who called himself Sasuke was getting slapped about

**Ch and he looked at us as though he could beat us**

_Idiot, he will pay with his blood._

Then I saw something that angered me and I was surprised it did, Sakura screamed and ran out and caught Sasuke as he fell to the ground, she cradled him and helped him up onto his knees fussing.

_The girl has feelings for him?_

**Nothing more than a crush, I can see by how snobby the little squirt is that he must be quite popular with those ninja rejects, that's probably the reason as is with most attractive girls.**

_Attractive?_

**Have you not looked at this girl, but still she's human we should just kill her like the rest.**

_Perhaps play with her first…_

The thought made me shiver with anticipation and I realized she was now stood up and there was some sort of scene going on in the corner with a man who was the exact doublicate of Rock Lee but taller and even more weird.

I ground my teeth together in a sadistic smile as my sand started to slide towards her

_Oh she really shouldn't have stood back from the others…_

I almost drooled as I saw her jump as my sand started to wind its way around her ankles and travel up her back, I could smell the fear pouring off of her as she squeezed her eyes closed and to keep still.

_Hmm she thinks I will help._

**Yesss the fear its delicious….**

I made the sand wrap around her neck not choking her but making sure she would choke herself if she attempted to talk, then a weird feeling washed over me I didn't understand why but for some reason the feeling made me want her, desire her and I felt my body change. I couldn't help myself and I made my sand slide up her inner thigh. It must have had an affect on her because she squealed and leapt out of my grasp, my sand dissolved quickly.

**That was fun boy**

_I couldn't control it, it was like my body was making me do that._

I looked back up to the pinkette, she was shaking and she was desperately searching her body trying to find whatever had grasped her

_**You wont find it my dear *chuckled darkly***_

_I can only imagine how sweet killing her will be._

I decided to leave I had found what I wanted to know

_The team looks pretty week if they could even get beaten by that twat in the green jumpsui._


	4. The written test

**Kakashi was waiting at the doors of the real room 301 **

"**kakashi Sensai!" I beamed,**

"**Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke " Kakashi smiled "I'm proud of you", I beaconed us towards the doors **

"**we wont let you down sensai!" Naruto grinned, we opened the doors and stepped through. I gasped **

"**I guess were not alone.." I mumbled looking around at the 100's of Genin who now had all their eyes on us.**

_**Man I had no idea there would be so much competition…if being scary looking is part of the test they've got me beat! **_

"**Shikamaru!" I heard a loud voice behind me I turned around to see Ino running over to a very annoyed looking Shikamaru and jumping on his back.**

"**boy you have no idea how much I was hoping you would show up here, I've missed those brooding good looks of yours" Ino beamed. **

**That's Shikamaru, he's usually ignorant, always complaining and never does anything about it the blonde her on his back…that's Ino, she's my best friend but completely obsessed with Shikamaru. Choji bounced up next to Shikamaru, Choji Akimichi…more like Akimunchy I swear that guy would eat his own head if he could.**

"**well well the rookies together again" an up himself voice piped up from next to us.**

**Kiba's team was stood watching us**

"**Oh hi Naruto" A small voice whispered, Hinata hyuga she's nice but its so obvious that she loves Naruto but that idiot wont seem to realize. Kiba and his dog Akamaru this guy is cute but he really thinks he's awesome and Shino…he's just weird he doesn't take off those glasses of his.**

"**yo guys you're the nine rookies right, keep it down you should go drawing attention to yourselves this isn't a field trip" a genin walked over to us, he was older than us but didn't look much of a challenge.**

"**well who asked you! Who are you?" Ino shouted**

"**I'm Kabuto, look around you, you have made quite an impression" Kabuto chuckled, I looked around at all the scary looking genin staring at us.**

"**Kabuto that's your name isn't it?" I asked, Kabuto looked up**

"**yes" Kabuto smiled.**

_**He talks like he knows these exams**_

"**this isn't your first time taking the exams is it?" I raised my eyebrow**

_**There was something about this guy that untrustworthy.**_

"**no..its my 7th****" Kabuto mumbled "well 7****th**** times the charm that's what they say huh",**

_**Well I guess all the rumors about the exams are true, oh man**_

"**don't give up hope yet" Kabuto smiled "maybe I can help you out a little".**

**Kabuto knelt down and took out a packet of cards, I got destracted **

**When I heard a voice whisper in my ear**

"**Sakura I think you have an admirer" I turned round and Ino was stood beaming at me, looked at someone in the crowd, I followed her eyes to see all 3 on the sand ninja looking at me curiously.**

_**I hope I don't have to go against them**_

**I smiled back nervously**

"**get in there girl!" Ino grinned**

"**what's that boys name?" I whispered to Ino eyeing the redhead **

"**how should I know, he gives me the wiggins" Ino shrugged "Kabuto even has him on his cards". I stepped forward to exam the card Kabuto was holding**

"**this guy survived every mission without getting a scratch on him!" Kabuto looked shocked**

_**How is it possible for him to do b rank mission and not get one injury…unless **_

…**unless he isn't human.**

"all these genin and very powerful especially these sound nins probably because we don't know a whole lot about them" Kabuto explained

"wow its almost enough to make you…"

"lose your confidence?" Hinata squeaked before Ino could finish.

_So were just rookies and these guys are older and more experienced than we are…its ok…I mean it can't be that scary… it would be a whole lot easier if-_

"alright!" Naruto shouted and pointed at the other genin "my name is Naruto Uzumaki and I'm gonna beat every one of ya!".

_What is that idiot doing! Is he trying to get us all killed!?_

I leaped up him and pulled him into a head lock

"Naruto you moron! What do you think you playing at saying something like that!" I shouted "you obnoxious little-"

I stopped as I realized everyone in the room was staring at Naruto with anger in their eyes

"oh…hi everyone ignore Naruto sometimes he says these snazzy things he doesn't really mean them he really should be on medication" I struggled.

Then I turned back to Naruto and shook him

"look what you've done Naruto you've hurt everyone feelings they think you don't respect them but that isn't true is it Naruto!?" I snarled at him

_He is such an idiot!_

Suddenly a sound ninja lunged for us but Kabuto hit him out of the way and then another one attacked him with sound and blood started to run out of Kabuto's ear and he gasped and fell to the floor. Naruto and I ran over to him trying to help him up when suddenly there was a huge puff of smoke next to us and a man with about 20 jounin with him was stood before us

"alright you baby face generates listen up, its time to begin I'm Ibiki Morino your next proctor and from this moment your worst enemy!" the man snarled, I looked at the scars across his face

_This does not look good._

"first! You candidates from the village hidden in the sound, knock it off who told you that you have permission to fight, you want to get failed before you've even begun!?" Ibiki shouted.

"I will say this once, there will be no combat between candidates no attacking each other anyone who even thinks of messing with me will be disqualified immediately, now if your ready we will proceed to the first round hand in your forms for one of these seat numbers" Ibiki ordered.

" we will start the written exam once your all seated" I saw Naruto flinch

_Tough luck for Naruto, written exams certainly aren't his strong point_

"did you say…written.." Naruto started "NOOO!".

Once we were all sat down in our seats a few of the jounin handed out our papers

"okay here are the rules, there are no questions, rule number one you all begin the test with a perfect score of 10 points one point will be deducted or every question you get wrong, two teams will pass or fail depending on all team members answers" Ibiki explained, I slumped back in my chair and slapped my head

_We're doomed_

"if your caught stealing by one of the jounin they have the power to deduct 2 points from you and remember they are jounin and have very keen eye sight" Ibiki warned.

_Ok ok relax I know I'll do ok and Sasuke should be fine so even if Naruto gets a zero we should still survive this._

"one more thing if an candidate should get a zero and fail the test then the entire team fails with them"

"WHAT DID HE SAY!?" I shouted slamming my fists on the table

_Theres no way Naruto will survive this._

"ok begin!".

_Concentrate Sakura this is where you show your stuff, please Naruto just at least get one of them right!_

I looked at the papers and gasped

_these are tough problems almost impossible…Naruto doesn't have a hope in hell of solving these._

I figured out the answers and wrote them down reading through my paper.

**Gaara's POV**

"one more thing if an candidate should get a zero and fail the test then the entire team fails with them" Ibiki explained

"WHAT DID HE SAY!?" a girl shouted to my left, it was the pink haired Kunoichi

Again she was sat on the row in front on the left.

_What does she have to worry about-_

**She has that little brat on her team, they are deemed to failure with that little runt.**

I looked at the little blonde idiot reading through his papers and racking his brain in hope there would be some tiny bit of intelligence inside there.

Once we were told to begin I scanned the paper

_that's strange I can't begin to understand one of these questions_

**----flashback-------**

"anyone caught cheating doesn't deserve to be hear" Ibiki snarled "show us what exceptional Shinobi you can be"

---flashback ended-------

_Hm so that's it, yeah that's got to be it this is about more than a written exam the real aim is to test our ability to gather information, that explains everything…the eagle eyes jounin everywhere, these impossible questions, he isn't actually forbidding us from cheating, he's daring us to try and cheat and not get caught only exceptional Shinobi could do that._

**These humans think their so clever with their stupid little mind games, who are we going to steal the answers from?.**

Then I realized something about then genin in front he was older than the rest

*Flashback*

"did you say harsh?" the boy with darkish brown hair chuckled "We're being nice in comparison you'll never survive the Chunin exams if you think that was _harsh"._

*Flashback ended*

_that's him, the guard from earlier he's a jounin _

**Ah I see what they have done pathetic humans they've Scattered those Jounin all over the place so we can copy.**

I chuckled and raised the palm of my hand in front of me

_The opening of the third eye, invisibly linked to the optic nerve._

Sand formed an eye in my hand and I performed my jutsu, my sand travelled invisibly out to the Jounin in front and flickered into his eye, he wiped his eye and blinked before getting back to his papers. Immediately I could see everything he was writing and begun writing it down myself.

"excuse me" Kankuro raised his hand

"what is it?" Ibiki asked

"uh..I gotta use the can sorry" Kankuro smiled

"fine but a Jounin will go with you to make sure your not up to anything" Ibiki ordered, immediately a Jounin got up and handcuffed Kankuro,

_That idiot needs to use the can and he hasn't even begun writing the exams yet?._

I looked closer to the Jounin and realized it was a puppet

"Karasu" I muttered under my breath as Kankuro hopped along behind him.

**Looks like your brother's figured it out too maybe you aren't as superior to him as you think.. *laughs***

_Shut up you dick!_

**Oh is that how its going to be is it…**

Shikaku gave me an agonizing headache and I gripped my hair

_Stop it!_

Shikaku stopped and I could hear the silent laughing inside my head

I looked at my finished papers and waited for the time to be up.

"alright listen up!" Ibiki shouted "heres the tenth and final question" he was interrupted my Kankuro coming back into the room

"I hope you found your trip to the toilet…enlightening" Ibiki smirked, Kankuro stiffened

_So this Ibiki has seen through Karasu's disguise._

"listen carefully these rules are important so don't let them frighten you, each of you is free to choose not to be given the final question but if you choose not to take the tenth question regardless of the answers to the other nine you will get a zero, if you do accept the question but get it wrong you will not only fail you will be barred from taking the Chunin exams again!" Ibiki explained.

Hm I wonder if any of these rejects will chicken out.

"those who don't want to take it raise your hand" Ibiki ordered

I watched as people up and left and narrowed my eyebrows when I saw that blonde kid's hand go up

_He seems to cocky to chicken out and I'm pretty sure his team mates would kill him._

Then his hand slammed onto the table

"don't underestimate me I don't quit and I don't run you can act tough all you want but you guys aren't going to scare me off no way! I'll still be Hokage one day!" the kid shouted.

**It's a shame he will never get to be Hokage once we slaughter him…**

_Yeah but you have to admit he has spirit…not the kind I like though._

"congratulations your all through to the 2nd round" Ibiki cheered

_What? But he didn't even give us the tenth question?_

"wait a second!" the pink haired girl shouted "what just happened? Where's the tenth question!?"

"there never was once, in fact the answer to it was whether you decided to stay or not" Ibiki chuckled "let me explain, the first 9 questions was to see how well you could gather information under strict circumstances and the tenth question was to see if you were brave enough to take it".

_Smart, I can't believe I didn't realize that._

Suddenly a woman smashed through the window and stood up smirking

"okayy people my names Anko I'm your next proctor are you ready for the second test?" she spat "good! Now lets go follow me!".

_I don't even know her and already I want to rip her throat out…_

Everyone stared at her in shock

"Anko the second exam is in the morning" Ibiki sighed, Anko looked stunned for a second and a little embarrassed

"ha well Its been easy for you maggots so far but first thing in the morning I'll have have of you eliminated before the second exam is over" the cocky bitch smirked.

"Dismissed" she purred before turning back to Ibiki, everyone got up and left their papers on the desk

_**I wonder If we'll get to kill anyone tomorrow.**_


	5. Blossoming flowerr

**A/N hey guys J okay so first part of the exam over all went well so far but Gaara seems drawn to Sakura guess he doesn't know why yet but I get the feeling Shikaku remembers it all but then he wouldn't want Gaara knowing that…**

**I need 4 more reviews before I post the next chapter.**

**Grace xxx**

_**Sakura's POV**_

_The sun blinded me as I walked towards Anko and the group, I stood by Naruto and Sasuke and scanned the mass of trees and wilderness fenced off in front of me._

_3 Jounin were sat in boxes along what appeared to be gates into the forest,_

"_This is the location for the second phase of the exam it's the 44th__ battle training zone…but we call it the forest of death" Anko smirked_

_Forest of death? Well that sounds promising. _

I stared at the forest it was much darker as though it was night there even though it was impossible."this whole place just creeps me out" I mumbled not taking my eyes off the giant snake that slid into the trees.

"it should" Anko chuckled "they don't call it the forest of death for nothing and soon your going to find out why", Naruto sniggered and started imitating Anko

_Idiot!!_

"so…looks like we've got ourselves a tough guy" Anko smirked before narrowing her eyebrows and lunging a Kunai at Naruto it skilfully missed him with enough friction to cut his cheek, Anko was suddenly behind Naruto clasping the side of his head

"tough guys like you leave their blood all over this forest" Anko hissed running her finger along the blood on his cheek, then a scary looking ninja started to approach Anko but just as the ninja was behind her Anko spun round and held the knife to her throat, the ninja's tongue lolled out holding a kunai up to Anko

"I wasss…just returning your knife" the ninja hissed her eyes gleaming

"why thank you grass ninja" Anko lowered her kunai and took her knife off the Grass ninja.

The Grass ninja walked back to her team

_I thought the forest was creepy but these guys are even creepier!_

"now before we begin the test you must sign these consent forms I'll hand them out. Now. This exam will test your survival skills anything goes battle to get both of these scrolls" Anko held up two scrolls " a heaven scroll and an earth scroll all together 26 teams will be in this so that means half of you will be going after the heaven scroll and the other half will be trying to get the earth scroll. I'll hand out one of these scrolls to each team your team has to bring both scrolls to the tower and you only have 5 days".

_5days out there…this isn't going to be easy we have to be on look out all the time_

"the most important rule is that you must not under any circumstances open the scrolls or else!" Anko shouted

_Okay don't open scrolls, got it!_

"okay we're done swap your consent forms over there" Anko pointed to the Jounin "they will give your team a scroll and a number after you will go and stand by the gate you were numbered".

I looked up at the clouds and worry and doubt started to take over my mind, I glanced over and it looked like everyone else felt the same way, then I spotted that redhead boy again. He was just stood there completely relaxed and actually looked bored.

_Shouldn't he be afraid?_

**Don't you mean ' shouldn't the forest be afraid of him'…**

Team mates gathered together to read their consent forms, I sat down on the grass and read through mine trying to make some sense out of this exam.

"hey Sakura!" a familiar voice smiled, Ino ran over to me and sat down on the grass

"oh hi Ino read through yours already?" I asked

"yeah, you look like your about to fall off a cliff don't look so worried I hardly have a hope in hell of getting through this thing but life's too short to spend worrying about it" Ino got up and patted my shoulder "well I guess I'll see you later then bye Sakura"

"goodbye Ino" I smiled waving as she bounced off towards Shikimaru.

**She's right Sakura stop wimping out and get that consent form on the desk!.**

Once everyone had handed in their forms the 26 teams stood in front of their assigned gate.

"alright heads up you maggots the second part of the test has begun!" Anko shouted, the gates swung open in front of us and me, Sasuke and Naruto dived into the forest.

We continued through the forest until we came to a small clearing where we landed

"uh…hehe excuse me guys" Naruto unzipped his trousers and I gasped " I got to-"

I jumped behind him and smacked him across the head

"what is this a kennel? Not in front of e you don't go and find a bush or something!" I snarled dusting myself off and walking back to Sasuke.

I rolled my eyes as Naruto jumped into a bush

"will he ever get better eh Sasuke?" I chuckled, Sasuke just shook his head and sighed.

_Great we have only been in this damn forest for 5 minutes and we're already stopping for toilet trips…_

Naruto came bouncing out of the bush grinning

"wow that was a lot I wrote my whole name!" he laughed

"Naruto! Your gross!" I shouted, suddenly Sasuke lunged at Naruto and punched him across the ground

"Sasuke don't you think your going a bit overboard…" I looked at him confused.

"take a good look at him Sakura…he isn't Naruto" Sasuke pulled out his kunai

"yes I am!" Naruto protested

"then where's the cut in your cheek?" Sasuke smirked and Naruto gasped

_Of coarse when Naruto went to pee that was the perfect chance for a ninja to get rid of Naruto and perform a gen-jutsu…but…where's the real Naruto?._

"clever brat" the fake Naruto chuckled "but I'm still going to take your scroll!", the ninja changed back to his form and lunged at us. I leapt up into the trees above and Sasuke made quick hand movements

"fire style phoenix flower jutsu!" Sasuke roared and he sent fire bombs flying at the ninja, the ninja dodged whilst a few got him.

he used that as my chance and leapt at the ninja pulling his kunai out and clashing kunai with him, the two of them leapt backwards into the trees and the ninja tossed a paper bomb at me which I dodged and got out the way of the explosion.

Then the ninja appeared behind Sasuke and held the kunai to the back of his neck

"Sasuke!" I cried, I dropped my kunai and hovered my foot over it lifting it with my chakra I carefully focused my chakra and kicked in the direction of the ninja sending my kunai flying towards him, he jumped back from the kunai and I used the opportunity to slam into him piercing his chest with my kunai.

Blood spurted across my face and we pushed back against each other landing on the ground. The ninja clutched his wound

"this isn't over!" he hissed before disappearing into the wilderness.

Sasuke dragged Naruto towards me

"little idiot" Sasuke muttered "that proves that we can't just trust appearances we have to come up with a password so we know who we say we are a secret one something only we know okay listen closely, the password will be, a ninja waits until the time is right when the enemy sleeps and drops his guard when his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night that is the moment for a ninja to strike"

_Well I know I'll remember that easy!._

**Gaara's P0V**

"we've been running for hours now Gaara don't you think we should stop and plan things out so we don't just run into anything" Kankuro groaned,

"you want to get the scrolls right?" I muttered "then follow me or I'll be coming out of this alone"

**Just get rid of them**

_I can't getting rid of them would mean I'd get disqualified and that would do anything for the plan now would it?_

**Since when do you care about the plan brat?**

_I don't I just care about all the kills I get when its all over…_

The thought was making me drool and I suddenly became very bloodthirsty.

"Gaara slow down we have to find a scroll now I'm not spending 4 more days out here" Temari shouted, I growled and glared at her from the corner of my eye

"shut up what do you think I'm doing!" I hissed, the trees didn't really smell like many humans so I took a new direction further into the forest.

"stop!" Kankuro hissed, I stopped and glared at him

"keep quiet and look to your right" Kankuro whispered, I crouched down in the grass and watched as a ninja limped towards a tree and leant against it.

"he might have a scroll" Temari whispered "corner him!". Temari and Kankuro leaped out of the grass beside him and I stood in front of him menacingly.

"give us your scroll now punk!" Kankuro ordered

"yes we may even let you live" Temari smirked, the ninja folded his arms

"I-I wouldn't give my scroll to scum like you!" the ninja spat looking me straight in the eye, all my emotions turned bitter and a low snarl rumbled in my chest, 2 other ninja jumped down from the tree and stood behind him.

"do you believe the nerve of these sand village ninja challenging us" one of them hissed

"should have picked your opponents better kids because now your all going to die" the tallest ninja smirked

"hey Gaara doesn't it make more sense to see what kind of scroll they have because if they have the same kind of scroll as us then we'd be fighting an unnecessary battle" Kankuro piped up.

"I don't care they looked at me the wrong way…so they are going to die" I answered not taking my eyes off the lowlifes ahead of me.

"if you think you can kill us then try it!" the ninja hissed pulling out a number of umbrellas and tossing them into the air where they span needles down at us.

I didn't even flinch as they flew at me, my sand automatically formed a shield around me hitting away every single needle.

"Is that all you can do" I hissed, anger boiled in the ninjas eyes and he ran at me pulling out a sword, I chuckled before making a hand sign and using my jutsu to wrap sand tightly around him.

"sand coffin!" I shouted and the sand covered him like hard rock only leaving his face showing,

"all I have to do is cover your big mouth and you'll be dead" I mumbled whilst picking up one of their umbrellas and opening it above my head "but that would be too easy and boring. I lifted my outstretched hand and the sand carried the pleading ninja into the air

"sand burial!!" I snarled clenching my hand and making the sand crush his whole body sending blood, body parts and sand everywhere.

"oh don't worry he didn't feel much pain I crushed him with more force than necessary so it was over quickly" I glared at the two remaining ninja,

"please spare us you can have our scroll, please!" the ninja yelled tossing the scroll at us.

**No…kill them where they stand!**

I made my sand wrap around them whilst they begged for their worthless lives, I lifted them into the air and clenched my fist closed and blood rained over the forest along with muffled screams.

"don't you think you could have spared them Gaara!" Kankuro shouted

"yeah your being unfair" Temari agreed

"*groan* I don't have time for two idiots like you go cry over their remains if you must" I spat before taking off into the trees.

**Sakura's POV**

I pulled out a towel from my supply bag and wetted it with some water, I sighed and laid it across Sasuke's burning forehead, flashbacks of Sasuke getting bitten played over and over until tears streamed from my eyes. I placed another on Naruto trying not to fall asleep. The cave wasn't much but it hid us a little, I shut my eyes but opened them again

_I must not fall asleep I need to protect these two!_

I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and gave in to my tiredness.

_Naruto and Sasuke sat talking, something russled in the bushes behind Sasuke_

"_now you will know what its like to be my prey" a voice hissed, suddenly Orochimaru appeared from the bushes._

_I gasped and shouted at Naruto and Sasuke but it didn't work no noise came out. I screamed but there was no noise, Orochimaru's body melted down into a giant snake and lunged at Sasuke jaws wide open…_

My eyes plunged open and I gasped looking around me sweating

_It was just a dream…_

Suddenly I heard a russeling in the bushed, I froze and reached for my kunai

_Oh no!_

I turned my head round shaking terrified of what I'd see… a squirl stood staring at me and I sighed

"don't scare me like that little guy" I sighed, the squirl ran towards me, I gasped remembering the trap I had set or anyone who came within 7 metres of the cave, I tossed a kunai towards the squirl and it shrieked and ran off.

_Okay that was too close!_

**Ya think!**

After not getting much sleep I was still very tired and trying to keep myself awake.

"look at you, your half asleep" I looked up to see 3 sound ninja glaring at me

"guess you don't need to keep watch anymore as we've already found you now wake Sasuke up we want to fight him" the masked one ordered

"you'll never get him you jerks" I muttered through gritted teeth, I reached for my kunai.

"I can't stay quiet after hearing her talk to us like that, first I'm going to kill this girl then I'm going to kill Sasuke" the tall ninja sneered

"wait Saku" the masked one ordered " its so obvious ground has been dug up here…and new grass doesn't grow on a place like this" the masked ninja pulled up the fake grass I had laid there. I narrowed my eyebrows

**Crap he's seen the trap!**

"ha your just a joke you threw your kunai at the squirl so he wouldn't get hurt but what you didn't see was that we sent it and with a paper bomb on his back!" Saku laughed "now we kill her!", all three of the sound ninja lunged at me, I gripped my kunai and pointed it towards them awaiting their attack.

Just as they were about to land they were knocked out the way by a blur of green and black, Rock Lee landed in front of me

_What is he doing!_

"what are you doing here Lee?" I questioned

"I promised I would always appear wherever or whenever your in trouble Sakura" Lee smiled

_He'd really risk his life for me?_

"I've had enough of this!" the masked ninja shouted, he ran towards us, I raised my kunai to hit away anything he would throw but Lee pulled part of the earth out of the ground and hit the ninja away from us.

_Wow he's strong_

Lee started to untie his bandages whilst the ninja dived at him again, Lee jumped behind the ninja and wrapped his bandages around him in the air and pulled him down just as the ninjas head was about to hit the floor Sakura saved him.

"your lucky Dosu" Saku snickered, Dosu got up and ran at Lee hitting him full pelt with his sound, Lee fell to his knees screaming, blood started to run from his ears and Lee was unconscious.

"alright little man time to end it" Dosu stood over Lee

"that's what you think!" I hissed tossing my kunai at him, he hit them away with his arm, I growled and threw 4 kunai at him only to have them blown back towards me by Saku. I dodged each one catching them in my hand,

_My attacks are useless! _

Suddenly someone yanked my hair pulling me down onto my knees,

"nice hair but if you spent a little less time shampooing and more time training you might not be in this fix!" the girl ninja sneered from behind me "hey Saku I got an idea lets make this little beauty queen watch while you finish off Sasuke!".

"you stay away from him!" I hissed, the girl yanked me back and I shrieked, tears started to stream down my cheeks and splash on the cold floor

_What good am I!? how many times have they saved my necks and you would think that this time just once I could pull through!_

Then I made a decision

**Your not going to be the weak one any more Sakura!**

I pulled out my kunai and raised it

"you idiot that won't work on me!" the girl shouted,

"its not meant for you" I spat then I reached my kunai round and sliced through my hair knocking the girl backwards as she held the length of my hair.

_I claim that I'm in love with Sasuke, I'm always lecturing Naruto like I'm much better…not matter what they were always there protecting me and Rock Lee saved my life and all this time you've all been teaching me something…_

My head protector fell to the floor along with the strands of my hair and I stood up as my hair settled into its new shoulder length.

_Its about time I learnt the lesson!_I smashed into the girl so hard she flew across the floor and smacked her head into the cave.

_1 down…_

I ran at Saku throwing shuriken at him, I stopped and performed a replacement jutsu and watched from a bush as my fake Sakura got the shuriken backfired at her slicing into her as she disappeared into a pile of logs.

I did the same again confusing Saku and getting my replacement close enough to kick and punch him into the outside wall of the cave earning a flew spills of blood whilst I watched from the trees.

I used myself this time to dive down onto Saku, he easily believed I was another replacement and threw a kunai at me, it sliced through my leg and blood splattered across his face I bit back the pain and landed on top of him pushing him to the ground and plunging my kunai into his shoulder, I shrieked and tried to get me off but I slammed my knee down into his stomach and bit into his arm.

**Gaara's POV**

I ran faster through the trees in search of the tower I knew the other two would follow so I didn't bother to stop and wait, it was dark already and the forest was getting deader. A similar smell made me stop in the tree I was in, it was like a cherry sort of perfume sweet but not overly sickly the kind of candyfloss smell.

**What are you doing?**

_That smell…_

**Ignore it**

_I…I can't_

I breathed in the smell and my eyes rolled back noticing it was mixed with the smell of fresh blood, I followed the smell until I heard a high pitch scream, I pushed the leaves back and looked down.

There on the ground was that Lee kid, an unconscious sound ninja and the other 2 were staring up as though they expected something, as flash of pink and red caught my eye and I saw a girl lunge at the sound ninja as he cut into her leg pushing him to the floor and stabbing him with her kunai. The girl bit into his arm and I looked closer realizing it was that pink haired Kunoichi

_Its her…she's stronger than I thought_

**She got a hair cut too…**

_Why do you sound so bored?_

**Why do you care so much about a girl**

_I don't I was just…_

_Suddenly the sound ninja under Sakura starting pounding his fist into her head, I watched in awe as she kept her teeth clenched on his arm not letting go as he pumbled the life out of her, she moaned in pain but didn't give up…_

Anger roared inside of me like a tidal wave, I clenched my teeth together and snarled landing on the ground and using my sand to knock the sound ninja off the girl and smash him into the ground with such force it cracked his skin and blood oozed out of him. I stepped in front of Sakura glaring down at her attacker with blood thirst.

"you…" a weak voice from behind me whispered, I looked down at the pink haired girl as she lay bleeding "you saved me"…


	6. Determination dies

**A/N sorry about the shortitude guys, before I post the next chapter I'm gonna need 6 more reviews to get me in the mood :] xxx**

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I stared at her for a second before turning back to the ninja and using my sand to drag me towards me, It wrapped itself around his arms and tugged he screamed and tried to get away but it tore his arms clean off, blood and stringy flesh flew everywhere and although the remains of his arms were still in his sleeves the blood from the severed wound still poured through the material. Screams of pure agony echoed through the forest and I booted the decapitated ninja towards the masked one who was now carrying the girl ninja. I walked forward and the masked ninja started shaking with fear

"please let us go!" the masked ninja begged

"no" I hissed "you will pay", I heard pinkette whimper behind me as though she was scared too. I raised my arm at the sound ninjas and was about to kill them when I felt soft fingers grab my arm and pull me back

"stop, no!" the pinkette's voice screamed, I was shocked

_even though they had just hurt her she didn't want them to die?_

**Its her disgusting humanity.**

I turned my head a little and for the first time made eye contact with her, tears streamed down her eyes and she looked terrified of me.

_She fears me…everyone does…_

**Yeah they are supposed to you're a monster right kid?**

_Hmmm._

I relaxed a little and watched as the sound ninja ran off into the trees, the girl fell backwards unconscious as he hit the hard ground.

**Don't tell me your going soft!**

_I'm not!_

**Then why did you save her!?**

_I…I don't know… my body acted before I had time to register what I was doing_

**Soft**

_I'm not! I will prove it to you from this moment!_

I used my sand to push the girl into the cave next to her comrades and tossed a blood covered kunai next to her

_She hit her head she won't remember what happened and hopefully she will think it was her._

Without looking back and leapt into the trees and ran to catch up with Kankuro and Temari.

**Sakura's POV**

I woke up with my head against the cold rocky floor coughing, I sat up and winced at the pain shooting through my leg. I placed my hand on the floor trying to steady myself but my hand touched something wet and thick, I gasped and looked down, there were splatters of blood everywhere. I looked at my leg and saw the cut across it, the blood around it had dried but it was still deep, I grabbed the nearest towel and held it on my wound.

Flashbacks the sound ninja attacking played in my mind it seemed I couldn't remember anything past when I had stabbed Saku and bit his arm.

"Sakura?" a voice behind me made me jump, I relaxed when I realized it was Sasuke

"your awake" I smiled rubbing his shoulder

"what happened here?" he asked scanning the bloodshed

"Sound ninja attacked…I can't really remember…" I looked at the blood covered kunai next "I must have scared them off".

"Sakura!" a voice shouted "Sakura something serious has happened to your hair!" I looked round to see Naruto looking worried, I looked at Sasuke and remembered he didn't want him to know about the whole curse mark thing so I decided not to tell Naruto what happened.

"oh yeah I er…wanted a new style" I lied "you know how much it gets in the way out here", Naruto nodded.

I gasped as I heard Tenten's voice outside the cave and then Lee's, I remembered how he had protected me but was knocked out, Naruto bounded outside and pointed at Lee

"haha I remember you bushy brow!" he mocked, I ran after him and smacked him across the clearing

"you better not say anything bad about Lee he saved me!" I roared, I knelt down in front of Lee

"thank you Lee for saving my life I don't know what I would have done without you, now thanks to you I have become a better ninja" I smiled, I could almost see tears welling up in his eyes"thank you Sakura but I am weak, the next time we meet I will have become a better ninja" Lee took my hand and kissed it, I hugged him and stood up.

"guys we better get to the tower soon"

"yeah I'm not going to get there late and be the laughing stock" Sasuke muttered, Naruto agreed. I packed up our weapons and scrolls and we headed off towards the tower.

It didn't take us long to get the tower as all the other teams had already got there,

When we had met our sensai they took us to the ground floor of the tower, it was a huge empty hall much like an arena.

We joined the rest of the Genin

_Wow looks like a lot of us survived and thankfully all the rookies._

"Congratulations for passing the second exam" Anko shouted,

All the jounin and Hokage were gathered in the hall.

"The third exam is a fight for life with your village and pride at stake" Hokage warned

"just tell me the details of the exam already I can take whatever you throw at me" an almost hiss came from my right I gasped and saw that red head standing there glaring at the Hokage

_Who does he think he is talking to Hokage like that._

"first of all my name is Hayate Gekko and there is something I would like you all to do before the third exam" a Jounin cut in "we have to have a preliminary exam before the real one, its 1 against 1 the winning genin will proceed to the real exam".

_1 vs. 1...that means I'll be fighting another Genin _

**I hope it isn't Sasuke.**

"now everyone get into your teams and proceed to the balconies with your Sensai" Hayate ordered, we mad our way up the steps and cleared the hall so it was an arena.

"the board will tell you who your aponant is" Anko shouted, I watched as the board flicked threw names nervously until it stopped on Yoroi Akado vs. Sasuke Uchiha.

I gasped

_He can't fight! Not with that mark on his neck!_

Sasuke narrowed his eye brows and smiled, he leaped onto the rail about to jump down into the arena

"Sasuke stop!" I cried, he turned and looked at me with annoyance

"you have to quit I don't want you to fight not until we know what that mark is" I shouted

"I don't have time for this" he muttered

"Sasuke I'm not going to stand here and watch you tear yourself apart!" I cried

"Sakura I'm an avenger I have to test my limits becoming a Chunin means little to me!" Sasuke shouted, I sighed and bit back the tears as he jumped into the arena.

**You did try**

_I know, he never listens to me._

Sasuke and Yaroi stood eye to eye in the arena smirking at each other

"any objections to your battle?" Hayate asked, neither of them answered so he stepped back "let the match begin".

I gripped the bar as the Yoroi dived at Sasuke and made a loud squeak sort of noise when Yoroi tackled Sasuke to the ground and slammed his hand down on his head.

Suddenly chakra started to flow from Yoroi's arms paralising Sasuke, I gasped and watched as Sasuke struggled to move himself.

"Sasuke!" I screamed as a black pattern started to burn across his body

_Whats he doing to Sasuke!_

**It isn't Yaroi…the pattern is coming from that mark on Sasuke's neck.**

Suddenly Sasuke growled and kicked Yaroi off him leaping behind him and he flew through the air, Sasuke smashed Yaroi to the ground falling back as the curse mark began to receed.

_He must have copied Lee's Jutsu_

I scanned Yaroi who was now led on the floor not moving as blood trickled from his mask down his face

**He's out cold….Sasuke would have never gone that mad to beat him…unless its that mark.**

Kakashi appeared behind Sasuke

"you did well Sasuke" Kakashi praised "but come with me, we need to seal that curse mark".

_Seal the mark?_

Sasuke nodded and they left.

I turned back to Naruto, he was staring at Sasuke as he walked away

"what is that on his neck?" Naruto mumbled, I gasped but tried to hide it, I remembered how I had promised Sasuke I wouldn't tell me

"what mark? I didn't see it" I answered looking blankley at him, Naruto nodded.

"okay!" Hayate butted in stopping all the mutters from the rest of the Genin "moving swiftly on to the next battle".

_What! Don't we even get to register what just happened first._

"this place is full of weirdoes" Naruto muttered,

"your one to talk" I laughed, Naruto rolled his eyes and I burst out laughing

"now isn't the time for laughing Sakura" I heard Ino whisper, I pointed to the board, the name mixer stopped on mine and I gasped. I closed my eyes as it read the next name

_I don't care who it is I'm not going to read their name of there, I will not chicken out this is my chance to prove I'm worth something._

I jumped down into the arena awaiting my opponent, I heard a scratching noise and sand started to form opposite me revealing…that boy.

I gasped as he stared at me with the thirst for blood visible in his eyes, my eyes darted up to the board and read his name…

**Gaara's POV**

I read the name of my opponent, as I did a growl of worry/anger came from Shikaku and I raised an eyebrow in wonder

_Sakura…that seems familiar…wonder which one of these Kunouchi it is._

I melted down into grains of sand and reappeared in the arena, the sand cleared slowly and revealed the girl in front of me…

Her pink hair clung to her neck and her red dress blowed in what little wind there was in the arena. Suddenly I remembered, everything came back to me as I remembered my opponent and by the looks of how she was staring at my name on the board she had too.

Something screamed inside my head and I clutched it digging my nails into my sculp

_Sakura Haruno…its you…_

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**A/n ooohh so its Sakura Haruno vs. Gaara and now they remember their past together…maybe these Chunin exams won't be as easy as Sakura had hoped…**


	7. forgotten memories

Gaara's POV

_It makes sense now…_

I scanned the Pink haired girl stood in front of me, I made contact with her stunned eyes and every single detail of our past came back.

_Sakura Haruno huh? You really have changed…_

Something inside me softened and I felt something strange, then pain roared through my head and I clutched it digging into my sculp

**Gaara you idiot! You aren't that little boy anymore, she'll hurt you like the rest of them.**

_Your right…what the hell am I doing_

I was angry now…this girl had made me feel…like a human, a filthy human and she was going to pay.

My expression hardened and I glared at her viciously and I saw her narrow her eyebrows

_Looks like she wants this, she better be ready._

_**Sakura's POV**_

Sakura Haruno vs. Gaara

Shakily I looked back to the boy stood in front of me, he looked almost as shocked as I was, I tried to move but I couldn't.

*flashback*

"My names Sakura Haruno, what's yours?" I asked grinning, the boy leaned closer to me sniffing my hair

"just like your hair" the boy replied, I flushed red and giggled "oh and mines Gaara"

"that's a funny name but I like it Gaara-san" I smiled.

*****flashback ended*

"Gaara….San…." I whispered staring at his crimson coloured hair frozen,

**Let it go Sakura its in the past now **

A single tear slipped down my cheek but I wiped it away as I watched his expression harden.

_Gaara has changed, he isn't that little boy he used to be. Just because he looks like…like…my first love…doesn't mean its still him, If I want to become a Chunin I have to overcome this and I will!_**Cha!**

I brushed my hand through my hair until I found the knot where I had tied my headband and without losing eye contact with Gaara I narrowed my eyebrows and ripped the knot loose pulling my headband out of my hair and letting it fall to the ground as a sign I wanted battle.

I could feel how sinister Gaara's chuckle was the minute he spat it out,

Hayate stepped in looking freaked out by our reactions to each other

"if you two are ready to-" Hayate started

"we are" Gaara cut in, his voice sounding almost bored.

"begin" Hayate shouted stepping back,

_This is it, this is my chance to prove I'm worth something!_

Gaara stood there staring at me with his arms folded across his chest

_Why isn't he moving?_

**Well if he isn't going to move then we're just going to have to make it for him!**

I ran forward lunging my fist at him, I wasn't sure how physical attacks would work against him but I had to try.

I winced in pain as my fist came into contact with something harder than rock, my fist was pushed back and I almost tripped, panicking I jumped into a side kick but the same force blocked me. I stepped back quickly examining Gaara's still posture, he couldn't have blocked me himself….it had to have been his sand. I saw Gaara's eyes alight as I kept throwing myself at his sand

**He's gotten stronger.**

_Well that's just great…_

**Don't give up yet so we don't have Techniques and sand shields but we certainly have a brain!**

_Hmmm._

_Well attacking head on doesn't more…I need to find a way around his sand and fast before he decides its his turn to be the one attacking._

I thought about it for a second and got an idea, I clenched my fist and ran towards Gaara throwing myself at him of coarse I hit his wall of sand.

I bit my lip as I took the pain from clashing with it, this time the sand attacked me pushing into my stomach and forcing me back through the air,

**Perfect!**

that's where I pulled out my kunai and hit the sand away with it using all of the strength I could find. The sand actually faltered for a second, using the opportunity I slammed my hands down on the sand and pulled myself onto it bolting towards Gaara, this took him by surprise and I was able to punch through his wall and slam his head backwards, he stumbled back but caught his balance.

_It worked! Just got to move fast_

I leaped for another attack but gasped as solid force slammed into the front of my body and hit me backwards into the air, my eyes widened in pain as the sand scratched across my skin.

I hit the floor hard and coughed spitting out blood, I whimpered and forced myself onto my knees

_I can't give up!_

I used my last strength to get myself onto my feet but it wasn't enough, sand wrapped around my ankles roughly breaking the skin, I panicked looking up at Gaara. His expression was terrifying it wasn't one he would have ever used….back then.

"pathetic" I heard Gaara mutter as sharp blow of his sand hit me down again,

_He's right…I am pathetic and now I'm going to get killed by someone I once would have given everything to see again._

Suddenly there was a shout and Kankuro and Temari leaped in front of me like they were defending me

**What are they doing!?**

_Why are they defending me when I'm not even part of their own village?_

_Won't work anyway, I know Gaara's power he could kill me through the gap that his siblings are failing to cover…_

i sighed and looked down at the floor welcoming death, I hadn't become stronger since that day in the forest I had stayed the same, a useless wreck and now I had given up..

**Temari's POV**

I fiddled with my belt and tried not to show how bored I was as Kankuro constantly moved about next to me

"hurry up and give me my turn to own some brat already!" Kankuro moaned, I raised an eye brow at him

"don't be too over confident Kankuro these 'brats' look pretty sharp" I teased, Kankuro rolled his eyes at me,

"hey Temari?" Kankuro asked "do we know anyone called Sakura Haruno…the name seems familiar". I looked at Kankuro wondering why he had suddenly thought of that name, I thought about it for a second and my eyes widened.

"Haruno, Sakura…is that girl…the one Gaara talked about" I answered looking Kankuro straight in the eye "why?", Kankuro froze

"Temari…" Kankuro pointed to the board, it red 'Sakura Haruno vs. Gaara' in big yellow writing.

Kankuro and I both exchanged horrified looks and ran to the edge of the balcony to see Gaara already opposite Sakura.

_Wait a second, its that Leaf girl…the one we met earlier, she's Sakura._

"Looks like they have realized" Kankuro murmured as he studied their shocked expressions.

The battle began and I watched as Sakura attacked Gaara

_Oh no…it won't work you can't beat him you'll just get yourself hurt._

Just as I thought Sakura was hit back but to my surprise she leaped onto his sand and actually ran across it making actual contact with Gaara. I gasped as Gaara stumbled back

_I can see why he liked her she isn't like other girls…she has something different in her blood line._

Sakura was still smashed backwards by Gaara and hit the floor hard as his sand attacked her. I turned to Kankuro

"we have to stop this!" I shouted, Kankuro gave me a confused look "this girl could be the only chance of making Gaara happy again if he kills her…he'll probably give up on everything later on!". Kankuro nodded in agreement and we exchanged the same look before we leaped down in front of Sakura, I pulled my fan off my back and Kankuro held Karasu. Gaara stared at us wearing a blank expression.

**Gaara's POV**

_If she continue to attack me head on like this she'll just keep hurting herself._

Sakura clenched her fists and ran at me again, I rolled my eyes and didn't move letting my sand smashed into her stomach as she made contact with my sand wall and threw her back, suddenly she pulled out her kunai hitting it away and leapt onto my sand.

I stared shocked as she run up my sand like It was a path and slammed her fist into my head,

_Shit! What did she just do!?_

**See she's nothing like the girl back then kill her now!**

I snarled at her and as she attacked again I thrust my hand forward making my sand slam into her body and hit her backwards so hard that it scratched her skin.

The blood spurting from her mouth and her scream as her body hit the hard floor made my mouth water in anticipation.

_Your mine Sakura!_

I watched bearing my teeth in a sadistic smile as she got onto her knees and pulled herself to her feet, I chuckled and my sand wrapped around her ankles tightly pulling her down again

"pathetic" I growled.

Then something dived in front of her, it was Kankuro and Temari, they stood in front defending her, I looked confused

"what are you doing!?" I hissed, Temari narrowed her eye brows

"protecting you from yourself!" she shouted,

_What the fuck is she on about!_**we don't have time for this…**

"Temari, Kankuro…get out of my way or I'll kill you both where you stand" I spat, I watched in amazement as neither of them moved. I growled but stopped as I noticed a gap between them, I could easily twist my sand through and choke that girl before they even noticed.

I chuckled darkly and raised my sand, then something caught my eye, it was her expression. She led on the floor limp but conscious like she wasn't going to bother getting up, her eyes were drifting at the floor…like she had given up and didn't want to fight me anymore but instead was welcoming her death.

My eyes widened and I watched as tears started to tumble down her scratched cheeks, a thin line of blood streamed from her lips and she closed her eyes. Suddenly something washed over me like water and changed my insides, I stared at Sakura Haruno and my sand softened and dropped to the floor. I took a step back shakily.

**What are you doing!? Kill her now you fool!**

_I…I can't…_

Shikaku roared along with the pain inside my head and I dropped to my knees clutching my hair in pain. I slammed my fist into the ground making the floor crack and pulled myself up, I glanced at Sakura Haruno before leaving the arena.


	8. Abilities

**Heyya, really sorry about the wait guys but I've had a lot on at the moment what with it being Christmas and all. Well here we continue our battle between our lovers…wonder what will happen…. XD love cha x**

* * *

My eyes lifted and I looked up at Gaara, his sand was raised along with his sand, he growled and I knew this was the end,

_Good thing I never amounted to anything or people might actual miss me…_

I waited but nothing happened, I looked up and Gaara was staring at me with a shocked expression, he gulped and his sand softened and started to trickle to the floor like it was reseeding. Gaara's body actually relaxed

_What…isn't he going to…_

Suddenly Gaara roared in pain and clutched his head, the ferocity of his roar made me jump and I flinched, his eyes met mine once and then he was gone.

"Gaara…" I whispered, for about 4 seconds everything was quiet and then I heard a familiar voice behind me

"Temari, Kankuro go back to your sensai" Kakashi ordered, the two rolled their eyes but obeyed. Kakashi's arms wrapped around me and he picked me up against his chest and carried me back onto the balcony as there was no way I could have walked.

"Sakura you had a very hard opponent maybe the hardest anyone will face today, you did well" Kakashi comforted as he sat me against the wall, I thanked him as he went to get a medic.

_He could have killed me and passed the exam…but he didn't, he just left in literally a puff of smoke_

_**And left you alive**_

_There has to be some part of the Gaara I knew left in him!_

I thought about it and there had to have been, he could have killed me in two seconds but he left me alive.

**Sakura…**

_There is, there has to be!_

"Sakura!" Naruto ran over to me "you did great!", I rolled my eyes and turned to Ino who was now knelt down next to me

"Sakura remember when we were kids and that day in the meadow when we were picking flowers and I said you were a bud" Ino smiled, I nodded "well Sakura you've bloomed into a flower and a beautiful one", I gasped at Ino, she had never said anything so nice before.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes

"ino…." I whispered, she chuckled and rubbed my shoulder.

"Kakashi it seems we have a problem" Hayate's voice interrupted us, "since Gaara left we can't make anyone the winner-"

"Gaara is the winner" I interrupted "if Gaara didn't leave he would have beat me, if I cannot win the battle I do not deserve to be Chunin".

"are you sure Sakura?" Hayate gasped, I gulped and nodded

_I will become a better ninja and when I can fight my own battles then I shall become Chunin._

When Hayate left Kakashi knelt down beside me

"the medic's coming up in a minute" Kakashi said blankly, then he turned to face me"Sakura I'm proud of you now your starting to turn into a Kunoichi" he smiled

"thank you Kakashi" I choked.

Kakashi got up as the medic walked towards us,

"she's just been in battle I want to make sure she's okay" Kakashi told the medic ninja, he nodded and started to examine me, I knew I was in a bad way because of the way my body ached.

"luckily nothing seems broken but she still has bad wounds so she has to be careful" the medic ninja explained to Kakashi, then he stopped and looked at me "to have taken blows like that and not broken a bone she must be pretty strong".

_Strong? Since when have I been strong?_

"look the boards going again!" Naruto started jumping up and down "please please please be my name next!", I rolled my eyes at Naruto but kind of smiled at his foolishness. I didn't really pay attention to the rest of the battles except Ino's, Naruto's and Lee's, I was too busy thinking about my battle.

_I can't believe that boy is Gaara, he's grown up so much_

**He's changed though**

…_I know…but he saved me, which shows some part of him cares and maybe he can be saved_

**Before you do all this….you should think about something**

_What?_

**Do you still have feelings for him?**

…_yes I always have, but now I've found him again and I will save him_

**From himself.**

I watched as the last battle commenced then I made sure I could move and got to my feet,

I walked over to Ino who was leaning over the edge

"Ino I'm going out for a while, could you meet me at Ichiraku ramen I really need to talk to you" I smiled, Ino looked at me startled

"Sakura are you sure your even okay to be walking?" Ino asked, I nodded and gave her one of those 'obviously' looks "well in that case sure Sakura is 7 okay cause I have a shift at the flower shop?" Ino asked

"yeah that's fine" I agreed

"ok cool see ya later billboard brow" she beamed, I laughed and said goodbye to Naruto before sneaking out the door before Kakashi could notice.

I breathed in the cool air of the cold room I entered, it was bare except for the huge staircase leading down to the bottom of the tower. I sighed and closed my eyes

_What am I going to do?_

**Well standing around here won't change anything**

I began walking down the steps, I realized I still had my forehead protector in my hands and held it to my face looking at my evidence of being a leaf Shinobi. I smiled and tied it round my head as I walked, as I came down to the third floor I saw a shadow on the wall opposite me, it was taller than me and showed the figure of someone behind me carrying something large on their back. I turned round and gasped, it was gone, I looked around but there was nothing but a strange hissing noise.

"you can come out, I know its you…" I said shakily "..Gaara" as I said his name the hissing stopped, I sighed and shook my head and continued walking down the stairs

_Great now I'm insane._

**Gaara's POV**

I bolted out the nearest door before anyone could notice, I slammed it shut behind me and realized I was on the staircase, the cool air felt nice on my burning skin but wasn't enough to calm me. My breathing was erratic and I couldn't get that girl out of my head, I had never been stopped by such…humane feelings before.

**Eurgh humanity! One of the disgusting things you have in you.**

_I don't have humanity, what happened today…I just… I don't want to hurt her…just because I don't want to hurt someone doesn't mean I have humane feelings_

**You have feelings for that…that girl…no matter what maybe hidden in those powers of hers she's just human**

_No! she doesn't have power she's a weak girl!_

**She has strength, greater strength that most of the ninja around here…and can't you sense that Chakra? I bet she would have noticed it before if she would have killed a few people and not spent her life complaining!!!**

_Stop Shikaku! Sakura has-_

**Sakura…you call her Sakura, ha! **

_Stop this now! _

Shikaku chuckled and with it he sent waves of itches through my brain, I squirmed and fell against the wall in the corner, I fell onto my knees. The pain was like a pain I had to itch to get rid of, it was everywhere, I snarled and clawed and the wall pushing my head against it.

_Stop! I'll stop! I don't have feelings for Sakura!_**You do you love her, like a pathetic little human! (chuckles)**

_I don't! the only reason-_

I couldn't even think straight anymore the pain was agonising and to make it worse Shikaku began playing images of Sakura's face as I was about to finish her, I shook my head rapidly and punched my fist through the wall. Suddenly the Pain it my head completely stopped before the door swung open, the blur in my eyes went and I was able to regrettably see Kankuro approaching me cautiously.

"Gaara…" he muttered, I stared at him unamused for a second before I remembered, I got to me feet

"you!" I hissed, Kankuro stepped back "you we're going to stop me from killing the girl and winning the battle!", Kankuro looked startled

"y-yes but it was for your own good Gaara" he stuttered

"She isn't the same human any more why would I want to keep her alive!?" I snarled.

Something changed in Kankuro's face and he narrowed his eyebrows

"well you did keep her alive didn't you" Kankuro stiffened, I opened my mouth to warn him but I really had nothing to say to that it was the truth. I moved my glare back to the wall signalling him that he could leave as I was no longer interested.

"Look anyway you won the battle the girl's pretty beat, the winners have to come down to the arena in 5 minutes so be there" Kankuro turned and left back through the door. I rolled my eyes and relaxed but then I heard another noise, it was the sound of someone else walking towards the door. I crawled up the wall onto the ceiling so they wouldn't be able to see me, the first thing I saw enter was a spiky mass of pink hair and a beautiful smell enter the room. I realized immediately who it was and stiffened, sharp venom started to form under my tongue as I stared at the girl I'd let live walk down the stairs, I so badly wanted to taste that sweet blood.

**This is your chance….**

I fell to my feet so lightly she didn't hear and began slinking behind her, my eyes rolled over the cuts and bruises I'd left over her body and almost licked my lips. We approached the third floor and she stopped and appeared to be staring at something on the wall, my eyes widened as I realized it was my shadow behind her. I panicked not knowing what to do and disappeared behind the wall as she turned round

_Shit, I could have got her_

**Why didn't you!?**

_I don't know I just didn't……_

I hissed as she looked around

"you can come out" she mumbled knowing I was here, she sounded shaky and unsure which made me hiss more

"I know you're here…Gaara" she almost purred, my hissing stopped and my eyes widened as she said my name.

I didn't dare show myself, I wasn't scared I was just unsure of what I would do.

Eventually Sakura sighed and walked down the stairs, I gasped and came out from the wall closing my eyes for a second then breathing out hard. I snarled and pushed open the door walking through it back into the arena

_Where the hell was she going?_

**Off to groom her perfect nails…..**

I rolled my eyes and leapt down onto the floor and stood next the Kankuro and Temari who merely greeted me.

"now before we can proceed you all need to see who your opponents are for the real exam" Hokage announced

_The old fool._

One of the Leaf ninja held a piece of paper in front of us,

_Well well, Sasuke Uchiha huh? That will be a fun fight especially since I can unleash you Shikaku_

**And how desperately I want to bleed that little brat that calls himself Uchiha.**

The Leaf's Hokage explained more about the third exam to us but I didn't really listen I was too busy thinking about Uchiha

"well you can all rest until next month now" Hokage smiled and with that we were to leave, I had some serious thinking to do.

**Sakura's POV**

I walked through the village at normal speed as I needed time to heal, luckily I didn't live very far from the forest so I got home in no time. I yawned and sat down at the kitchen table staring at the clock, it was 1:30 so I had 5 and a half hours to kill before I had to meet Ino.

"Sakura" my mom entered the room so suddenly it made me jump "your back, did you make the preliminaries love?"

"no" I sighed ashamed of myself

"never mind dear better luck next time eh" my mother smiled before flipping her white hair and picking up the laundry and carrying it upstairs. I went to get up but winced as I felt burning in my ankle, I sat back on the chair and manoeuvred myself onto the ground, the kitchen floor was cold much like the rest of the house. I leant forward examining my ankle and I traced the scratch marks with my fingers remembering how rough his sand had been so rough to cause such painful scratches. I sighed and hovered my hand over the scratch marks focusing my chakra so I could use it to heal my ankle. My auntie Lady Tsunade had taught me medical nin-jutsu from an early age and I had been practicing for a good few years now. Pretty cool having an auntie whose a member of the Sanin, a lot of my family call me Minnie Tsunade because apparently I take after her a lot. I watched as the scratches and puncture marks disappeared from my ankle and immediately it felt better, I used the same technique on my other marks and bruises.

I decided I'd take a bubble bath because I had some serious thinking to do, whilst waiting for the bubbles to foam up I took off my Haruno dress and shorts, laying them neatly on the rail. I stepped into the hot bath and began soaping myself, when I was done I relaxed and thought about what I was going to do.

_Ok so Gaara…I've found Gaara after all these years…anyway the point is he's changed…almost into a monster. _

**A monster you love**

_I don't love him I haven't seen him in years_

**Of coarse you love him or you wouldn't be thinking of ways to save him!**

_Well…I love 'him' the old Gaara the gentle Gaara I knew, he's changed now_

**But…**

_But I'm going to get him back, a part of him must be in there or he would have just killed me_

**And you think what? That when you tell him that he's just going to give up his evil ways and become that Gaara again. You saw the way he kills not a chance!**

_I'm prepared to attack him…if it means I can save him…I need him so see there's a better way._

**Attack him? You already tried that and you got battered, he isn't some ordinary genin…**

_I know…I need to train._

I decided after I was ready I would find Kakashi sensai and get him to help me train, I glanced up at the clock it was 2:15 so I thought I'd better go get dressed. I wanted to wear something different as I was changing, I rampaged through my wardrobe until I found a box at the bottom. It read Sakura across the box in lacy writing, I gasped and took the lid off. Inside was a perfect outfit, I put it on and looked in the mirror. My top was red and very much like the top of my dress but it didn't have any sleeves and was skin tight around my torso, the next part was black shorts that were shorter than my other pair and tighter. Over them was a short cream over skirt with splits all the way down the sides, my eyes travelled down to the black boots, they were toeless like the last but were knee high. I didn't think my dad would really like how short the skirt and shorts were but I had to admit it really made my physique stand out. I grinned but wondered where on earth the outfit came from, I didn't really care so I just decided I'd ask my mother later and that I'd better hurry up and get my weapons. I wrapped a bit of bandage around the top of my leg and strapped around the kunai holder filling it with 2 kunai also fitting some thin blades in there too, I strapped my little bag around my waist and filled it with shuriken. When I had sorted out my hair and plastered on some eye liner I figured I was ready so I pulled my black gloves on and headed down stairs, my mom walked past but stopped when she saw me.

"Sakura you look so grown up" my mom squealed hugging me "I knew when the time was right you'd find that outfit I kind of hoped it would be when you were a bit older but never mind"

"so you put the box in my cupboard?" I asked raising an eye brow, she nodded grinning

"mom that's so cool!" I beamed hugging her

"haha you be careful training out there you hear" she called as I ran out the door. I ran through the village at ninja speed looking for Kakashi.

_Where could that guy be?_

I slowed into a walk as to not freak out the villagers, I eyed all the stored hoping I'd spot Kakashi but it seemed he was no where. As I walked past a group of men sat on the floor I felt something grab my butt…like a hand, I stopped as I felt the hand squeeze. I let out a vicious snarl and turned round to face the guy who was sat smirking with his friend,

"you pervert!" I spat before pulling my fist back and punching him so hard he smashed through several walls of the shop he was sat against.

_Sometimes I cannot stand the male race!_

I ignored the people staring and continued walking until I noticed Naruto stood outside Ichiraku ramen which was no surprise

"hey Naruto" I smiled, Naruto turned round at the sound of my voice

"hey-" he started but stopped as he saw me, his eyes widened as they looked me up and down "Sakura…".

_Its nice to know my new look is appreciated…even if it is from the village idiot_

" nice outfit" he blushed"thanks" I smiled "so do you know where Kakashi sensai is?"

"yeah he's by the bridge" Naruto smiled "reading his porn no doubt…", I laughed

"thanks Naruto, see you later" with that I jumped onto the roof and ran across them towards the bridge. When I reached the bridge I found Kakashi, he was sat against a tree reading

_Just like Naruto said…can't seem to put that lame excuse for porn down _

I stopped in front of him

"hello Sakura" he greeted without looking away from his book

"hey Kakashi, could you put the book down for a second" I rolled my eyes, Kakashi sighed and looked up he was about to say something but stopped as he saw me. I smirked and put my hand on my hip like a poser

"ch-change of outfit Sakura?" Kakashi asked quietly, I could see he was ogling me it was kind of obvious. I nodded and kind of blushed.

"Anyway sensai I was wondering….if you could help me with some training" I asked

"Sakura-" he started, I sighed knowing I was going to have to argue

"Kakashi please I know I'm not the best at fighting but that's why I want you to help me train, seriously this is really important right now if it wasn't I would be asking" I wined, Kakashi sighed and gave up. Kakashi put his book in his pocket and stood up, Kakashi was always so tall compared to me, I always felt so short when I was with the guys…except for of coarse Naruto who was about my height.

"Sakura your still recovering from-" Kakashi started

"no I'm not I used my medical ninjutsu to heal myself" I interrupted "doubting my healing power now Kakashi sensai?" I raised an eye brow and he rolled his eyes.

"ok Sakura" he sighed in defeat "what is it you want me to help you train with", it took me back a bit, I hadn't actually planned what I was going to train with

"uh….well I don't know I guess I just want to train everything" I answered

"hmmm" Kakashi looked like he was thinking about something. Then suddenly he tossed 2 shuriken at me, I pulled my kunai from my pouch and immediately hit them away with it. Kakashi jumped behind me and threw a few more all which I dodged or hit away.

**What the hell is he doing!?**

Kakashi continued to attack me with shuriken so I dodged and dived into a bush for cover, suddenly he threw a paper bomb at me which landed next to me in the grass. I gasped and leaped out of the bush concentrating my chakra into my feet to run up the side of the tallest tree so fast that I got to the top before the paper bomb exploded.

I sighed with relief and jumped back down to where Kakashi was stood,

"Kakashi Sensai!" I shouted "are you trying to kill me!?"

"I was simply testing your abilities" Kakashi said calmly "you should have attacked instead of dodging so much"

"well unlike some people I don't attack my comrades out of the blue!" I shouted

_I knew it was part of training but I still could have used a heads up._

"Never the less your ability to dodge is very good" Kakashi "show me an attack",

**Cha! Do you hear that our dodging skills are awesome!**

_Yeah but now we got to attack him…_

I nodded and quickly planned a way to attack him.

I quickly did a shadow clone jutsu and used the clone to run at Kakashi with my fist pulled back so he thought it was the real me, Kakashi immediately put his arms into a block ready for my attack. Just as I reached him my clone dispersed and left Kakashi confused, I used the opportunity to jump up behind Kakashi and kick him, he stumbled forward and turned to attack me, he pulled out his shuriken and tossed them all at me. I knew it wouldn't be easy to dodge and at least one would hit me so I quickly used a substitution jutsu so I switched and the real me hid in the tree out of Kakashi's sight. As the shuriken impaled my fake it turned into a log and fell to the floor, I then leaped out of the tree and raised my kunai above my head, but as I landed on Kakashi he disappeared in a puff of smoke. I panicked and stood up

_He used shadow clones!_

I looked around waiting for his attack, but instead the real Kakashi walked out from behind the tree and stopped in front of me, I sighed and relaxed.

"Sakura if your attacks were on someone of less skill they would have proved to be very effective, still I think you need to improve" Kakashi said observing the area we had fought

"how do I improve?" I asked hoping we could get on to some real training now

"it seems you have a strong power over your chakra, have you ever thought about chakra concentration in a fight?" Kakashi asked,

_Chakra concentration?_

I shook my head.

"Well how about we start from there then?" Kakashi smiled,

"okay sensai what do I have to do?" I asked

"well I want to see how long you can concentrate your chakra for, when doing something simple like tree climbing" Kakashi explained "use your chakra to run up that tree and hold yourself up side down on the branch" Kakashi pointed to the tree.

"right!" I ran towards the tree and focused my chakra until I could feel it in the bottom of my feet, once I could I began running up the tree and when I reached the branch I ran along it.

"Good now use your chakra to hang up side down" Kakashi instructed,

**Woah I don't like the sound of that**

_Neither do I, I hate being up side down but it's the only way we can see how long I can hold my chakra properly._

I focused more chakra into my feet and slipped so I hung up side down, I focused the chakra so it was like my feet were glued to the branch.

I watched as Kakashi observed from below and it looked like he was counting, it was easy at first and felt like I could do it forever but then I could feel my chakra straining to hold. I closed my eyes and forced it to stay in my feet, after a long while it was incredibly hard to hold and I found myself grinding my teeth together. Suddenly I felt limp and I couldn't do it anymore, my feet slipped from the branch and I began falling through the air, I quickly swivelled my body so I wasn't upside down anymore enabling me to land on my feet but still take a bit of impact from all the concentrating. I leant against the tree panting

"3 minutes and 45 seconds" Kakashi stopped his watch

"3 minutes! It felt more like a life time" I breathed hard"actually that's pretty amazing for a Genin" Kakashi praised, I started to feel quite proud about myself but wondered how that whole thing had helped anything.

"okay so now you know how long I can hold my chakra for can we begin training?" I started to get up but slipped a little before I got my balance,

"Sakura its 4:45 I have a meeting with Gai and besides I think we've done enough for one day" Kakashi sighed, I suppose he was right I was feeling pretty beat.

"okay well can we train more tomorrow, say meet me here again same time?" I asked

"yeah sure but I want you to do some research on chakra concentration" Kakashi agreed, I nodded my head and with that he was gone.

I sat back down against the tree and went over what we had done.

_Okay so apparently I don't need to improve how I move, I guess my attack could be improved but that's what the chakra things about. I've never heard of fighting with Chakra concentration before but I guess its worth a shot._

**And you need to do some research, which means we have to find books on Chakra concentration.**

I decided I'd check out the library and see if I could find anything there that would help me, when I got to the library I was greeted by old man Taji, he has been the owner of Rakuku book store for years and has always helped me with finding books.

"what book can I help you with today my dear?" Taji asked warmly,

"well I have been training with my sensai and he's going to teach me how to use my chakra concentration in fighting but he said first I need to do some research, I was wondering if there are any books here that could help" I beamed.

"Chakra concentration eh?" the old man scratched his head "I think I have some books on that, my grandson used to practice that many years ago", I followed Taji into the

Ninjutsu section and he pointed out a shelf on chakra I should take a look at.

"thank you Mr Rakuku" I smiled waving him off, I turned back to the chakra shelf and started to rummage through the books until I found one I needed.

_Concentrating your Chakra_

The cover seemed to sum up enough of what I was looking for so I opened it,

the first chapter was just about where chakra comes from and diagrams about your chakra points, I skim read it as I already learnt a lot about it in the land hidden in the mist last year. I flipped through a few pages until I found an interesting title that read

'**how your chakra can be used'.**

I read a few paragraphs about using it for things like climbing and jumping but I knew most of it, then I saw a picture that caught my eye, it was of 2 ninja fighting, one of the ninja looked like he was about to punch the other but there was a blue flame around his fist. I read the caption below.

'_this ninja is using his chakra to cause a flame like chakra ball around his fist so when he punches his hand will not get hurt and the flame will burn into his opponent'_"Sakura?" a voice from behind me made me jump letting out an unattractive squeal and dropping my book. I turned round to see Hinata and Kiba smiling at me

"guys don't make me jump like that" I half laughed picking up my book

"sorry Sakura I just didn't picture you in a library" Kiba chuckled

"I'm s-so sorry Sakura we didn't mean to make you jump" Hinata stuttered.

"Hey don't sweat it guys, what are you two doing here anyway?" I asked

"just picking up a few books for Kurenai" Hinata smiled

"yeah, what about you?" Kiba asked

"me, I'm just looking for a few books Kakashi said would help my training

"awesome" Kiba grinned and looked at the cover of my book "good luck with Chakra concentration"

"thanks, well see you round guys" I smiled"bye Sakura" Hinata smiled before they left.

As I watched them leave my eye caught the little clock above the door,

_Yikes I'd better get this book home_

I looked back down to the book and made sure it hadn't got damaged in its little fall and took it to the desk.

"I'd like to take out this one please" I put the book on the desk and handed the woman my library card,

"of coarse miss" she smiled handing me the book and scanning my card.

I picked up my card and the book and headed out back into the village towards home.

As I got through the door my dad ruffled my hair,

"hey dad, your home" I greeted

"hello my dear, I hear you've been training" my dad smiled "you make the Haruno clan proud Sakura"

"yes dad I will!" I beamed, he chuckled and beaconed me off upstairs.

I looked at myself in my bedroom mirror, my hair looked a state after all that training and I wanted to look good next to Ino. I put the library book under my bed and sat down to sort out my hair, I straightened it so it flicked out at the bottom and straightened my longer bangs so they hung around my face. After I was done I set out to meet Ino.

As usual Ino was early so when I got to Ichiraku ramen I wasn't surprised to see Ino sat in there grooming her nails.

"Hey Ino" I greeted, pulling out the stool and sitting next to her, she looked a little startled but realized it was me

"Hi Sakura" Ino beamed with a big grin on her face

"haha what?" I asked noticing her staring

"nothing its just….you look so cool!" she smiled "where did you get that outfit no wonder all the guys were looking at you today"

"well thanks…I guess" I chuckled "so you going to order?"

"yep" Ino smiled, Teuchi served us two delicious bowls of ramen.

I was rather surprised Ino was eating after the amount of diets she goes on,

"guess what!" Ino grinned

"what?" I chuckled

"I'm dating Shikamaru!" she squealed, I gasped

_Ino and Shikamaru!_

"you serious!?" I shouted

"yes! Haha he asked me out after the exams this morning" Ino confirmed excitedly.

"Well I'm really happy for you Ino" I smiled

"awww thanks" Ino chuckled, we started to tuck into our ramen.

"So Sakura, you said you wanted to talk to me about something" Ino said between munches

"oh….well…" I stuttered

**Ahhh don't tell her it will be easier **

_No I need to talk to her about this_

"Ino I'm in love with Gaara of the desert" I choked out

_She's my best friend she'll understand-_

"WHAT!" Ino shouted spitting out her noodles

…**you were saying …**

I sighed and played with my fingers nervously

"Sakura, you don't even know him! And he's a monster! And you fought him! And-"

"Ino chill" I calmed "let me explain", Ino stared at me in shock

"listen….I know Gaara I met him when we were just kids, you remember when we were both 7...you went away for a week to Tokyo, well I had no body to play with in the park and that's when I met him and we became friends" I sighed.

"I went away for a week and you made friend with a monster!" Ino cried "not to mention how savage he was towards you in your battle"

"Ino!" I shouted "look he was never a monster then he was nice and gentle but I had an accident and he couldn't protect me, he never forgave himself and he left and I never saw him again….not until I realized who he was in the Chunin exams" I explained

"Sakura hun sorry but you know I only worry about you, listen I don't know what you see in this guy but if he's that important to you then you should be with him" Ino smiled.

"Thank you Ino, its just it isn't that simple your right he has turned into somewhat of a monster and at first I thought there was none of the old Gaara left but then when he spared me and our eyes met…." I started " there has to be a part of him left".

"Gaara!?" a familiar annoying voice shouted from behind me, I turned around to see Naruto half way through ordering when he decided to interrupt our conversation.

"Naruto what do you want?" I asked annoyed

"Gaara! Haha I was just wondering why you were talking about that girly freak from the sand village" Naruto laughed "what did he do? Burn his eye brows off in his own glory!".

**What did he just say about Gaara!!?**

The roots of my hair started to turn black with anger and brutality

"Naruto!" I snarled, I pulled my fist back and ran at him slamming my knuckles into his cheek then kicking him across the pathway,

"woah Sakura calm down!" Naruto shouted

I went to punch him again but he dodged at my fist came slamming down hard into the floor, the floor started to crumble and the ground shook.

Earth flew in all directions.

_Uh oh, what have I done…_

* * *

_ooooh suspence XDD hehehe well folks ima need 15 more reviews before i can post the next chapter _

_hope ya'll enjoyed xxx_


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